Halloween celebrations start this weekend! It’s time to prepare your costumes for trick-and-treating and decorate your home with spider webs and pumpkins. For most Americans, carving pumpkins is an essential part of Halloween celebrations.
However, making jack-o’-lanterns is not as simple as you might think. In fact, it can be quite dangerous without the proper precautions. Here at the Hand Surgery Specialists of Texas, we want to make sure you are safe this Halloween. Therefore, we put together the following six safety rules to prevent hand injuries.
1. Keep it dry
Before starting to carve, make sure your pumpkin, surface, tools, and hands are dry. Slippery surfaces can easily lead to a hand injury, so it’s better to keep it dry.
2. Use the right tools
During the Halloween season, many stores offer special tool kits for pumpkin carving that make carving easier and safer. We recommend you pick one of those up. However, if you are using a regular knife, choose a duller one instead of the sharpest knife you have in your kitchen.
3. Don’t let your kids carve
Leave the cutting for adults. A sharp knife may slip easily in a child’s hand when carving the pumpkin’s hard exterior. Instead, let them draw the outlines of the design on the pumpkin and take out the pulp.
4. Take time for carving
You’re hosting a Halloween party and the visitors arrive in 10 minutes? That’s not the right time to start carving your jack-o’-lanterns. Make sure that you have plenty of time for carving and cut the pumpkin in small strokes. Accidents may occur easily if you’re feeling rushed.
5. Clean up after you’re done
When your jack-o’-lanterns are ready, remember to clean up the carving area. If you carved the pumpkins outside, clean up the pulp since it might make the ground slippery. Collect and store all the knifes and other tools you used so that they’re out of children’s reach.
6. Keep help near
Despite of all the precautions taken, accidents may occur. Make sure you have a first aid kit and the emergency room contact info nearby. For minor injuries, the bleeding should stop after applying pressure on the wound with a clean cloth. If the bleeding continues, seek professional help.
If you need a hand specialist’s help, make an appointment with us. The Hand Surgery Specialists of Texas wish you a happy and safe Halloween!
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