Have a Spooky AND Safe Halloween

The spookiest time of year is upon us with Halloween next week. The clocks are also about to go back so the nights are drawing in, with it getting darker earlier in the day. As we are getting into the Halloween spirit, with all things that go bump in the night, are you prepared with the Halloween decorations? Whether or not you are having a Halloween party, most of us will have picked and carved a pumpkin, bought sweets for trick or treaters, and added a few scary household decorations.

Whatever your plans are to celebrate the scariest night of the year, make sure you follow our safety advice to ensure your house does not end in its very own horror show.

Check Old Decorations

If you are using decorations you have used in the past, before you use them again, check they are still in good working order. Inspect each item and look out for any damaged wires or faults. If you find any of them to be faulty do not use them, replace them with something else.

Outdoor Use

Are you planning to decorate the outside of your house to entice trick or treaters to you? Outside decorations are a great way to get into the Halloween spirit, but make sure whatever you put outside has been in fact designed for outdoor use. Usually they will be clearly marked on the packaging as suitable for outdoor use. If in doubt, do not take the risk.

Residual Current Device (RCD)

With all outdoor electrical decorations, make sure you use an RCD, which will trip if there is any fault with the decorations. The RCD is important because if there is a fault, it will remove the supply of electricity to the unsafe electrical circuit. If you are in doubt, please contact your local professional electrician for advice.

Electrical Wires

If you have decorations around the house or outside, there will be electrical wires to think of. These can cause a trip hazard and can also be pulled or chewed by children or household pets. Think about the position of the Halloween decorations and if the electrical wires can be safely plugged in to the plug sockets.

Overload Sockets

If you have lots of Halloween decorations with electrical elements, it’s very easy to get carried away and before you know it, you have a load of plugs that need a socket to be plugged into. Be aware of overloading sockets with your decorations or using too many plug adapters. Too many plugs into one socket can be extremely dangerous.

Switch of at Bedtime

If you have electrical Halloween decorations throughout the house and outside, always remember to switch these off before you go out or to bed. If you leave them on too long they may overheat and cause an electrical fault, which in a worst-case scenario, may result in a fire.

Buy from Reputable Retailer

Always make sure your Halloween decorations are safety approved, have been bought from a reputable retailer, and make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instruction.

Have a spooky and safe Halloween everyone!

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