Every year children and adults are injured in accidents where candles or fireworks have set fire to costumes and hair. Plastic capes and bin liners, often used as costumes, are also fire risks.

Children’s fancy dress costumes are often classified as toys and are therefore not required to be fire proofed or fire retardant. This makes children especially vulnerable in circumstances where they are playing without adult supervision. RoSPA have been working with the British Retail Consortium and its members to develop a testing standard for the flammability of children’s dress-up costumes, which goes beyond the legal level.

The following top tips from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) will help you reduce your fire risk this Halloween:

1. Check that all Halloween and fancy-dress costumes you buy carry a CE mark on the label
2. As with all clothing, Halloween and fancy-dress outfits should always be kept away from fire, lit candles and all other naked flames
3. Always supervise children and pets if using lit candles
4. Do not allow children to carry, play, reach over, light or be near lit candles
5. Never leave a burning candle unattended
6. Remember always to extinguish a candle completely after use
7. Ensure children can be seen in the dark; ideally they should wear something reflective such as a reflective strip and carry a torch.
8. Teach your child to STOP, DROP and ROLL in the event that their clothing does catch fire.
9. In an emergency, cool any burns with large amounts of water and get urgent medical assistance.
10. If you must use candles, make sure they are securely placed in a correct holder and in a place where they are not likely to be knocked over. Keep them away from curtains, cushions, and draughts.
11. If you are using decorative lights in your home, ensure that electricity sockets are not overloaded and that they’re switched off at the socket at night.

Remember to look out in your local area to see if there is a DWFRS Halloween Trail. Aimed at younger children, the trail encourages children to hunt for the safety messages with their parents or carers. For more information, visit: www.dwfire.org.uk/education/pumpkins-bonfires-and-fireworks/