Council urges caution around Halloween Celebrations

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is encouraging families to ensure that Halloween events are not only fun but safe this year.

The Council’s Environmental Health team are raising awareness in order to reduce the risks of serious injury that costumes, and accessories can pose for children in the run-up to Halloween.

Toy dress-up clothing in particular, can burn rapidly when accidentally ignited by contact with an open flame, such as a candle or open fire. This can lead to serious injury, burns, and potentially death. Children are especially vulnerable in circumstances when they are playing without adult supervision.

In offering advice to parents around fancy dress, a Council spokesperson highlighted the following points to be aware of.

• Check that all Halloween and fancy-dress costumes you buy carry a UKNI and CE or a CE mark on the label
• As with all clothing, Halloween and fancy-dress outfits should always be kept away from fire, lit candles and all other naked flames
• If lit candles are part of your celebrations always follow their safety guidelines, and remember:
• Always supervise children and pets if using lit candles
• Do not allow children to carry, play, reach over, light or be near lit candles
• Never leave a burning candle unattended
• Remember always to extinguish a candle completely after use
• Take care when using candles at Halloween. Do not carry pumpkins with lit candles inside, consider using battery-operated candles instead
• Children should always be supervised by a responsible adult
• Be aware that homemade fancy dress costumes or some store-bought costumes may not be flame retardant and could result in serious injury.
• Ensure children can be seen in the dark; ideally, they should wear something reflective such as a reflective strip and carry a torch.

If anyone has any queries with regard to the safety of costumes, please contact Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s Environmental Health team on 0300 303 1777, textphone on 028 8225 6216 or by email at eh@fermanaghomagh.com.

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