Safety First: RoSPA issues Halloween costume warning amid recalls
Ahead of Halloween on October 31, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has sent out a clear message: have fun, but stay safe and vigilant when choosing Halloween costumes.
Their alert follows the recall of several Halloween costumes due to safety concerns.
Significant chemical and fire risks associated with some Halloween products were identified and brought to the public’s attention by the Office for Product Safety and Standards.
When shopping for costumes, RoSPA recommends:
- Checking Safety Marks: In England, Scotland, and Wales, only costumes or toys displaying the UKCA or CE marks should be bought. For Northern Ireland, the UKNI symbol alongside the UKCA or CE mark is essential. All components of Halloween attire, including wigs and face masks, should be flame-resistant as per EN71 part 2, the standard governing toy flammability. Moreover, items retailed in the UK by British Retail Consortium (BRC) members typically undergo rigorous fire safety testing and come labelled, confirming the additional safety assessments.
- Exercising Caution with Unknown Brands: RoSPA cautions against buying from lesser-known or exclusively online brands. Such products might not comply with stringent safety standards, exposing users to elevated fire and chemical hazards.
- Avoiding Flames: All attire, especially Halloween costumes, must be kept away from open flames, including candles. RoSPA urges using battery-powered candles as a safer alternative during Halloween festivities.
- Visibility is Key: With many Halloween costumes being dark, RoSPA advises equipping children with torches and adding reflective elements to their costumes to ensure they’re visible to motorists. Always having an adult accompany children can further enhance safety.
Phil Le Shirley, Public Safety Advisor at RoSPA, commented on the matter, stressing the need for safety during these festivities. He specifically underscored the importance of checking costumes and toys for appropriate safety marks and emphasised the challenges posed by reduced visibility during the darker nights.
Backing RoSPA’s sentiments, Paul Kay, Head of Fire Safety for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, shared essential safety tips. He emphasised the growing popularity of Halloween fancy dress costumes for children and highlighted the importance of knowing the potential dangers.
Paul’s advice includes checking labels for fire resistance, being cautious with items like plastic capes and bin liners, using battery-operated lights, exercising extreme caution with candles, and knowing what to do if a costume catches fire.
Paul’s safety tips –
- Plastic capes and bin liners are often used as costumes – keep them away from sparkles, candles or other naked flames.
- Use battery operated lights within homemade lanterns and pumpkins. These are much safer than candles and are cheap to buy.
- Take extra care with candles – they are extremely hazardous. If the candle tips over it could set light to materials such as costumes, curtains, clothes and furniture and start a serious fire.
- If a costume you are wearing does catch fire the advice is to ‘stop, drop and roll’, making it harder for the flames to spread.
- If you are with someone whose clothes have caught fire, get them to stop, drop and roll, then smother the flame with heavy material like a coat or blanket.
- In an emergency cool any burns with large amounts of water and get urgent medical assistance.
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