WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is urging families to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advice for Halloween this year. Among the key guidance: A Halloween mask is not an appropriate substitute for a protective cloth mask. CPSC joins with CDC in recommending that consumers wear a protective cloth mask of at least two layers of breathable fabric—not a costume mask. Protective masks should never be worn under a costume mask because it can become hard to breathe.
If children or adults wear costumes this Halloween, be aware that costume fabrics and loose, billowy clothing (such as capes or gowns) can easily catch fire. Never drag a costume over an open flame (such as a candle burning in a jack-o’-lantern); and stay away from candles and firepits. Whether you are staying at home or walking around the neighborhood, avoid overly long or baggy costumes. Many of last year’s estimated 2,700 Halloween-related injuries involved trips and falls.
Nothing says Halloween like a carved pumpkin, but more than 40 percent of Halloween injuries last year were related to pumpkin carving. Children should not carve pumpkins unsupervised; and adults, not kids, should be the ones to use - with caution - pumpkin carving tools, which often include sharp serrated blades. Once carved, pumpkins are best outfitted with battery-operated lights, instead of candles.
Whatever your plans are for this Halloween, be sure to follow the advice of CDC and your local jurisdiction. For additional Halloween product safety tips, check out CPSC’s “Halloween Safety in 3 Steps.”
Follow the CDC and your local jurisdiction’s guidance:
About the U.S. CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of injuries associated with consumer products over the past 50 years.
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