Whilst Halloween is an exciting time, you must be aware of any electrical and fire safety hazards that can creep up on you. Scary pumpkins, ghosts, witches and skeletons make for a spooky Halloween, but there’s nothing scarier than a serious injury or accident.

When installing decorative lights this Halloween, you need to think about potential obstructions, equipment condition, overloaded sockets, weather conditions, weatherproof sockets, and damaged lights.

Not considering these things can pose a significant danger to yourself, children and trick-or-treaters and risk of causing a fire.

The Electrical Safety Roundtable have put together Halloween Safety Top Tips, which share advice on keeping safe during the spooky season.

1. Before installing decorative lights, especially for existing decorative lighting, check the condition of the lights, cables and plug tops, check for damage and check that they work correctly.
2. Check the weather conditions; bad weather, such as wind and rain, could affect the surface, especially when using access equipment, such as ladders.
3. Create a plan on how you are going to install the lights, check possible routes for the lights, potential obstructions, fixing methods and use RCD-protected socket-outlets for any lighting or features installed outside.
4. Use weatherproof sockets that are designed for outdoor use; these sockets protect against moisture and ensure safe power connections for your outdoor lighting decorations.
5. Place candles on a heat-resistant surface.
6. Candles should be out of reach for children. Keep candles away from the path of trick-or-treaters.
7. Never leave candles unattended. Extinguish all candles before moving them, leaving the room or going to sleep.
8. Make sure candles are completely out and not smouldering after being put out.
9. Halloween costumes can be highly flammable. Make sure to purchase costumes from a reputable retailer and check labels for a CE or UKCA mark.
10. Turn off all decorative lights or Halloween features before leaving home or going to sleep.

Chair of the ESR Home Group, Nick Hayler, said: ”It is key that safety is a priority this Halloween. When decorating for Halloween or any event, it is easy to get excited, but it’s essential that electrical and fire safety are prioritised.”