by Stephen Mattson

Created on: September 10, 2010   Last Updated: September 11, 2010

Halloween revolves around candy, costumes, and lots of children. For property owners, it can be a time worrying about potential accidents, safety concerns, and liability issues. Put your mind at ease by following these helpful guidelines:

• Maintain a Well-Lit Property

Halloween festivities often occur at night, so illuminate sidewalks, porches, entryways, exits, and any main thoroughfares. To maintain a scary ambience, retailers sell orange, purple, and other colorful lights that can easily be incorporated into any Halloween arrangement. Good visibility prevents visitors from tripping over unfamiliar steps, curbs, and stairs, and also reduces the threat of unwanted trespassers.

• Home Decorations

Remove any loose, small, or obstructive objects that could potentially cause injury (flower pots, water hoses, ladders, porch decorations). 

Avoid using open flames or candles. Small children, unruly teenagers, and careless adults can easily burn themselves or cause an accident, and many costumes are highly flammable – a small fire can quickly cause severe damage to both humans and property.

Substitute candles with safety-approved electrical lights, and keep all extension cords securely taped (never use nails, tacks, or staples) away from any pathways. Don’t overload outlets, and use adapters if necessary.

Many Halloween decorations are gruesome and scary, but cover all sharp, pointed, or harmful edges that are exposed, and keep props securely fastened and safe to touch. Never use dry ice, and remember that glow-in-the-dark liquids are often ingested by little kids who mistake them for candy.

• Pets

Even if your pets don’t have a history of being mean, a small bite can turn into a big lawsuit. Keep pets inside and away from people. Even if they’re securely fastened outside, kids may be tempted to gently give them a pat, feed them candy, or mistreat them – the risk is too high.

• Use Safe Treats/Candy

Never use food or candy that isn’t sealed. Although fresh fruits are healthier than pre-packaged treats, they can easily become spoiled, infected, and contaminated by germ-infested adolescents. Play it safe and stick to store-bought candy that is packaged and properly preserved.

Stay away from distributing Halloween necklaces, bracelets, hats, and jewelry. Many of these products are choking and strangling hazards and can be unsafe to young children.   

• Maintain Adult Supervision

The safest way to preserve the well-being of both your visitors and property is to have constant adult supervision. A responsible adult dressed in a costume can easily keep a watchful eye on things by simply sitting in a chair and greeting guests as they arrive.

Halloween is a time for mischief, when teenagers egg houses, steal lawn ornaments, pillage candy, and vandalize property. Having an observant adult that is highly visible to the surrounding community makes everything (and everyone) safer.

By following these tips and creating a strategy of safety and protection, property owners can enjoy Halloween – keeping the blood, guts, and horror something that is imagined rather than a reality.

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