Halloween Safety

Pumpkin Carving: Safety Alert - Hand Surgeons Warn of  Dangers

(ARA) - The American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) urges pumpkin carvers to use caution this Halloween season and take steps to prevent hand injuries when carving.

“Every Halloween season we see four or five patients -- both adults and children -- who come into our office with severe injuries to their hands and fingers,” says Jeffrey Wint, M.D., an ASSH member from The Hand Center of Western Massachusetts, Springfield, Mass. “Treatment can often run three to four months from the time of surgery through rehabilitation.”

To prevent hand injuries, the ASSH suggests the following safety tips:

* Carve in a Clean, Dry, Well-lit Area

Wash and thoroughly dry all of the tools that you will use to carve the pumpkin: carving tools, knife, cutting surface, and your hands. Any moisture on your tools, hands, or table can cause slipping that can lead to injuries.

* Always Have Adult Supervision

“All too often we see adolescent patients with injuries because adults feel the kids are responsible enough to be left on their own,” says Wint. “Even though the carving may be going great, it only takes a second for an injury to occur.”

* Leave the Carving to Adults

Never let children do the carving. Wint suggests letting kids draw a pattern on the pumpkin and having them be responsible for cleaning out the inside pulp and seeds. When the adults do start cutting, they should always cut away from themselves and cut in small, controlled strokes.

* Sharper is not Better

“A sharper knife is not necessarily better because it often becomes wedged in the thicker part of the pumpkin, requiring force to remove it,” says Wint. “An injury can occur if your hand is in the wrong place when the knife finally dislodges from the thick skin of the pumpkin. Injuries are also sustained when the knife slips and comes out the other side of the pumpkin where your hand may be holding it steady.”

* Use a Pumpkin Carving Kit

Special pumpkin carving kits are available in stores and include small serrated pumpkin saws that work better because they are less likely to get stuck in the thick pumpkin tissue. “If they do get jammed and then wedged free, they are not sharp enough to cause a deep, penetrating cut,” says Wint.

Should you cut your finger or hand, bleeding from minor cuts will often stop on its own by applying direct pressure to the wound with a clean cloth. If continuous pressure does not slow or stop the bleeding after 15 minutes, an emergency room visit may be required.

For more information about the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and its free “Find a Hand Surgeon” service offered to the general public, please visit: www.handcare.org. Courtesy of ARA Content

Consumer Product Safety Commission
CPSC Document #100 

A few safety tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission can protect children who plan to go trick-or-treating this Halloween.

Treats:
Warn children not to eat any treats before an adult has carefully examined them for evidence of tampering.

Flame Resistant Costumes:
When purchasing a costume, masks, beards, and wigs, look for the label Flame Resistant. Although this label does not mean these items won't catch fire, it does indicate the items will resist burning and should extinguish quickly once removed from the ignition source. To minimize the risk of contact with candles or other sources of ignition, avoid costumes made with flimsy materials and outfits with big, baggy sleeves or billowing skirts.

Costume Designs:
- Purchase or make costumes that are light and bright enough to be clearly visible to motorists. 
- For greater visibility during dusk and darkness, decorate or trim costumes with reflective tape that will glow in the beam of a car's headlights.
- Bags or sacks should also be light colored or decorated with reflective tape. Reflective tape is usually available in hardware, bicycle, and sporting goods stores.
- To easily see and be seen, children should also carry flashlights.
- Costumes should be short enough to prevent children from tripping and falling.
- Children should wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes . Mother' s high heels are not a good idea for safe walking.
- Hats and scarfs should be tied securely to prevent them from slipping over children's eyes.
- Apply a natural mask of cosmetics rather than have a child wear a loose-fitting mask that might restrict breathing or obscure vision. If a mask is used, however, make sure it fits securely and has eyeholes large enough to allow full vision.
- Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be of soft and flexible material.

Pedestrian Safety: Young children should always be accompanied by an adult or an older, responsible child. All children should WALK, not run from house to house and use the sidewalk if available, rather than walk in the street. Children should be cautioned against running out from between parked cars, or across lawns and yards where ornaments, furniture, or clotheslines present dangers.

Choosing Safe Houses: Children should go only to homes where the residents are known and have outside lights on as a sign of welcome.  Children should not enter homes or apartments unless they are accompanied by an adult.

People expecting trick-or-treaters should remove anything that could be an obstacle from lawns, steps and porches. Candlelit jack-o'-lanterns should be kept away from landings and doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flame. Indoor jack-o'-lanterns should be kept away from curtains, decorations, and other furnishings that could be ignited.

Halloween Banners

HALLOWEEN COSTUMES AND ACCESSORIES

Halloween Hair Spray
Halloween Wigs & Masks
Halloween Hats

Halloween Costume Award Ribbons
Halloween Costume Award
Sexiest Halloween Costume Trophy

HALLOWEEN PARTY INVITATIONS

A Halloween Classic Invitation
Scare guests into coming with a spooky jack-o'-lantern printed on bright white card

All Hollow's Eve Invitation
Your invitation wording and this Halloween scene will be printed in the same ink color on a bright white card.

Witches' Brew Invitation
Invite your favorite ghouls, goblins and ghosts to your lair with this theme-inspired invitation.

Orange Invitations

Orange Card Holders

Autumn Dinner Party Maple Leaf Seal

Item #... or keyword(s)

Pumpkin Cake Pan

Halloween Ultimate Party in a Box

Halloween "Spooktacular"

Halloween Party Supplies
Halloween Decorations

HALLOWEEN CANDY
Candy Corn Candy Bar
Pumpkin Candy Bar
Witch Candy Bar
For a spook-tacular treat wrap candy bars in personalized wrappers.

Halloween Suckers

Halloween Candy Filled Pumpkin

Halloween Candy Mix 4 LB
Halloween Candy Mix 2 LB
Halloween Candy Party Mix 30 oz

Candy Necklace Sm
Candy Necklace Lg

Candy Pacifiers Glow
Double Bubble Mini Gum

Pop Rock Blue Rocks
Rock Candy Sticks

Marshmallow Pops
Dum Dum Lollipops

Sugar Lollipops
Safety Lollipops
Patriotic Tooth Pop

Kandy Teef
Bubble Gum Balls
K-9 Candy

SUGAR FREE CANDY
Halloween Sugar Free Tooth Sucker
Gourmet Sugarless  Sucker Pops
Sugar Free Rainbow Sucker Pops

Holiday Sugar Free Sucker Pops
Sugarless Bazooka Bubblegum
Sugar Free Jelly Belly Candy

HALLOWEEN LOOT BAGS
Graveyard Scene Loot Bag
Pumpkin Handle Loot Bag

Ghost Tote Bag
Gruesome Loot Bag
Mini Treat Bags

Personalized Party Bags
Hand out personalized party
bags at your Halloween party

HALLOWEEN TOYS
As an alternative to Halloween candy why not hand out TOYS on Halloween.

Grab Bag Treasure Chest 600 Toys
Mega Treasure Chest 500 Toys

Grab Bag Treasure Chest 200 Toys
Teddy's Treasure Chest 200 Toys

Value Pack Chest 100 Toys
Chest Tooth Assortment 100 Toys

Magic Tricks Box 72
Stuffed Toy Chest 36 Plush Toys

Plastic Treasure Chest
Red & Yellow Treasure Chest

Grab Bag Refill (600)
Treasure Toy Refill (200)

Value Pack Refill (100)
Super Toy Assortment (50)

Multi Lite Ropes 50
Multi Lite Ropes 25

Halloween Duck Assortment

Sponge Bob Halloween Stickers
Scooby Doo Halloween Stickers

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL EFFECTS

Halloween Scene Setters

Pumpkin Lights
Bat Lights

Mini Black Strobe Light
Halloween LED Lights

Glow Necklaces
Finger Light Rings

Air Pump

HALLOWEEN LIGHTS
Pumpkin Lights
Bat Lights

Mini Black Strobe Light
Halloween LED Lights

Glow Necklaces
Finger Light Rings

HALLOWEEN MUSIC

Halloween Party Music