Short messages on Personal safety issues from Respect Yourself, the guidance site for young people to help make good decisions in life.
Around 60 per cent of accidental fires in the home start in the kitchen. Keep electrical leads, tea towels, cloths, loose clothing and anything else that may catch fire away from the oven and hob.
Keep handles of saucepans turned to the back of the hob and away from other gas burners/electric rings. This prevents you, your pets and small children spilling hot liquids onto themselves.
In London, smoking-related fires are the second most common cause of fire in the home. Furthermore, the fires caused by smoking materials (including cigarettes, roll-ups, cigars and pipe tobacco) result in more deaths than any other type of fire.
Electricity can arc like lightning or ‘jump’ up to three metres so you can be electrocuted by flying a kite near or touching things in contact with overhead lines.
If clothing is on fire, lie the person down wrapped in heavy material such as a coat or blanket (not made of nylon) and roll them over and over to put the flames out.
Sparklers burn at a high temperature – as hot as 1000°C to 1600°C – more than sufficient to cause severe skin burns or ignite clothing.
Around 1,000 people visit A&E for treatment of a firework-related injury in the four weeks around Bonfire Night, with half of the injuries being suffered by under-18s. About half of firework injuries happen at family or private parties and about a quarter in the street or other public place.
To treat a burn, remove any clothing from the area (but not if it’s stuck), cool it with water for 10-30 minutes, and cover with cling film. Seek medical attention if necessary.
People who want Trick or Treaters to visit often put a pumpkin outside to show this. Respect others’ privacy, and go to places you know. Be safe and have fun this Hallowe’en!
You can be fined up to £5,000 and/or imprisoned for 3 months for buying or using fireworks illegally. You could get an on-the-spot fine of £80.