Keep Halloween Safe As Well As Spooky
Casper, Wyoming (PRWEB) October 15, 2013 -- With leaves on the ground, a chill in the air, and pumpkins and skeletons being affixed to residences, the season of Halloween is upon us. Children are picking out their costumes, parents are decking their homes out in all manner of spooky decor, and haunted houses are opening their doors to those looking for a scare.
Unfortunately, this type of environment can also lead to its share of personal injury situations, as the Ochs Law Firm can attest. Safety tends to lapse in many households in the buildup to Halloween, and as a result, there tends to be a spike in the number of fires, residential car crashes, and other injuries in the weeks leading up to All Hallow’s Eve.
Jason Ochs has seen this trend firsthand and hopes that parents do what they can to protect themselves and their children from harm as the holiday kicks into full gear.
“Safety on Halloween begins long before the end of October,” said Mr. Ochs. “When parents take the proper precautions in the weeks before Halloween, they can make sure that safety remains assured on the holiday itself. Anyone who plans on taking their children trick-or-treating or outfitting their house like a veritable Dracula’s castle needs to keep a few things in mind.”
To that end, Mr. Ochs has directed the firm to compile a series of tips focused on Halloween safety, and parents should keep these in mind.
•The Wrong Costume Can Cost U, Me- It’s hard to tell a child ‘no’ when he or she has their sights set on being a Frankenstein’s monster or a character from a popular television show, but parents must make sure that any costume purchased is appropriate for the child, not only in terms of subject matter, but in terms of safety hazards.
Parents should try to steer their children away from masks with limited vision or props whose bulk will take a toll the longer a child is out walking around. Nothing should drag on the ground, as this could trip someone up, and shoes should be regular tennis shoes, even if this goes against the Victorian theme the child’s Jacklyn the Ripper costume seeks to get across.
•Decoration Rationing- Mr. Jones next door may have the market cornered on Christmas, but some families become the toast of the town during Halloween season due to the macabre and creative displays erected throughout the home and on the lawn. Unfortunately, bids to become the most ghoulish house on the block can often come at the cost of safety.
Scarecrows, pumpkins, and any other type of display should be kept clear of walking paths so that guests aren’t tripped up by these potential hazards. Items that hang from trees need to be securely fastened but then removed when inclement weather descends. That way, they won’t fall and strike another individual. Other props should each be taken on their own terms and used in a way that doesn’t prohibit safety.
•Fire Bad- The Halloween season poses a number of fire hazards that need to be overcome. Just like with Christmas lights, any spooky strands of lights pulled out of storage need to be thoroughly checked prior to being strung up and plugged in. Such lights should have a seal of approval from Underwriters Laboratories and be used for the duty which they were rated (outdoors versus indoor usage).
When it comes to candles, LEDs are going to be the best bet of the safety conscious spook-master. Given the number of paper decorations on hand in the average household around Halloween time, there are simply too many fire hazards to keep track of otherwise. LEDs are a smart choice when lighting up Jack O’ Lanterns and various areas of the home, but if going with candles, all flammable objects need to be kept far away.
•Dastardly Driving- Even prior to the big night of October 31, drivers may not be in a fully alert state when going through residential neighborhoods. Creative lawn displays could distract them from the driving task at hand and the onslaught of Halloween parties every weekend could lead some people to drive while intoxicated. Avoid these mistakes yourself, and be alert for unsafe drivers and even pedestrians so that the festivities stay pleasantly, seasonably horrifying and not downright horrific.
Ochs Law is an award-winning practice recognized by such entities as the American Trial Lawyers Association, Super Lawyers, the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Association for Justice. With offices in Wyoming, California, and Colorado, the firm is able to offer representation to victims of personal injury accidents as well as assistance to persons going through divorce, filing class action lawsuits, defending against criminal accusations, and more. The practice’s website, which you can reach by clicking this link, offers a free consultation service and a litany of resources to those hoping to learn more about representation.
Jason Ochs, Ochs Law Firm, http://ochslawfirm.com, +1 (307) 215-9529, [email protected]
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