Pumpkin-Carving Dangers – Halloween Safety Tips
Carving a pumpkin for adults and kids may be the most fun thing to do but it has its negative aspects also. If pumpkin is carved carefully following all safety tip it could be fun otherwise if some injury occurs the whole festive mood could be spoiled. So here are a few tips to avoid hand injuries when carving.
1. Always make sure to carve in a clean, dry, well-lit area. Wash and thoroughly dry all of the tools that you will use to carve the pumpkin: carving tools, knife, cutting surface, and your hands. Any moisture on your tools, hands, or table can cause slipping that can lead to injuries.
2. Never let the children do the carving. If they force a lot make sure that there is adult supervision while carving a pumpkin. Also be careful when you start cutting, you should always cut away from yourself and cut in small, controlled strokes.
3. Only allow kids to draw a pattern on the pumpkin and have them be responsible for cleaning out the inside pulp and seeds.
4. A larger and sharper knife is not necessarily better because it often becomes wedged in the thicker part of the pumpkin, requiring force to remove it. An injury can occur if your hand is in the wrong place when the knife finally dislodges from the thick skin of the pumpkin. Injuries are also sustained when the knife slips and comes out the other side of the pumpkin where your hand may be holding it steady.
5. Special pumpkin carving kits are available in the market which includes small serrated pumpkin saws. These saws require less force to pierce pumpkins than serrated and plain kitchen knives. At these forces, pumpkin carving tools are less likely to cause injuries. However, even pumpkin carving tools may wound hands so general safety
rules should still be followed.
6. For kids the safest option is pumpkin painting or decorating. They can express their creativity with paint and other items that can be glued or attached to the pumpkin.
Safety Tip: If you cut your finger, hand or bleeding from minor cuts immediately stop and apply direct pressure to the wound with a clean cloth. If continuous pressure does not slow or stop the bleeding after 15 minutes, or if the sensation, color or function of your fingers has diminished, an emergency room visit may be required.
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