What’s spookier and scarier than a ghastly ghoul or a haunted mansion? Getting injured on the job! With the fun of the fall season comes an increased risk of workplace accidents or injuries. Luckily, you can keep yourself and others safe on the job this Halloween by practicing some basic safety tips. Let’s explore some basics that tend to come in handy this time of year.
Choose Safe Halloween Decorations at Work
One of the best parts of Halloween is decorating. While there’s no harm in adding some spooky flair to the workplace, it’s important to do so carefully. The last thing you want is to choose decorations that pose a safety or fire hazard.
A cluttered workspace is not only difficult to navigate but also ripe with opportunities for slips, trips, falls, and other injuries.
So, as you deck out your space with seasonal decor, make sure you’re mindful of location. Watch for trip hazards, and keep all decorations out of pathways that workers need to use to safely move through work sites. It’s also important to ensure that no decorations are at eye level or will disrupt workers’ visibility.
Avoid Decorating Mishaps
Choosing the right decorations is only half the battle. You’ll also need to ensure that anyone involved in acquiring, hanging, or removing decor does so safely.
For example, you might want to take some time to review appropriate ladder safety procedures before allowing employees to hang items from doorways or ceilings. This is also a good time to refresh your memory on proper lifting techniques.
Finally, when securing decorations, use safe materials like tape or sticky putty to secure items without introducing sharp objects, like push pins, into the mix.
Set Safety Limits on Costumes
While it may not be possible for all workplaces, allowing employees to come to work dressed up in costumes on Halloween (or for a Halloween party) can be a great way to boost camaraderie and shape your company culture. But remember, costumes aren’t exempt from the basic safety standards that you should always uphold in the workplace.
For instance, costumes with long, flowy fabrics or trails of material should be restricted for the same reason that everyday clothing with these features would be.
If your workplace features machinery, heavy equipment, or other unique occupational hazards, tailor your costume expectations accordingly. Generally speaking, it’s best to avoid loose clothing and accessories as well as bulky costumes that could get in the way of completing tasks efficiently.
Some other things to avoid include:
- Masks that inhibit vision
- Costumes or clothing with sharp or pointed additions that could get caught or injure another worker
- Weapons of any kind: toy axes, swords, etc.
Or, ditch the costumes altogether and encourage employees to show their holiday spirit in a more workplace-friendly manner, like wearing spooky-themed outfits or participating in informal “spirit days.”
Regardless of how you approach costumes, make sure you remind employees that they are always expected to wear work-appropriate footwear that meets safety standards relevant to your job site. It might be wise to hold a quick meeting or send a brief memo out to ensure that everyone on your team is on the same page.
Don’t Forget About Food Safety
If Halloween means parties or potlucks for your workplace, don’t forget to take precautions against health and safety risks that could be lurking beneath the surface. It’s important to protect employees against both foodborne pathogens and exposure to potential allergens.
To do that, you’ll first need to ensure you have a record of employee dietary requirements and have reviewed them entirely. Read the ingredients of anything you plan to serve at the event to figure out what risks, if any, there may be.
Meanwhile, you should also take steps to limit the risk of foodborne illness. Encourage your employees to bring food that can be safely stored at room temperature or come prepackaged. Or, if you have the means to do so, offer crockpots, refrigerators, and freezers to store foods at appropriate temperatures.
Refresh Your Memory of Fire Safety Precautions
Halloween can create some truly frightening fire safety hazards both on the job and at home. Decorations – especially those that contain heating or lighting elements, like jack-o-lanterns – can quickly and easily become fuel for a flame. In recent years, an average of 790 home structure fires began with decorations each fall season.
While decor at the workplace probably looks and functions differently than it does in the home, it can still increase the risk of fires. Given that October also holds Fire Prevention Week, it’s the perfect time to revisit your fire safety precautions – and make sure that everyone on your team complies with them while enjoying the festivities.
Brush up on all workplace fire safety tips and rules that apply to your job site. Double-check that all smoke detectors are working properly, and ensure that all exits are kept clear of decorations so that nothing blocks potential escape routes.
And, of course, keep Halloween decorations away from open flames or any other heat source. Review your expectations with your employees so that everyone is equipped with the knowledge they need to step in if something looks off.
Ring in a Spooky (But Safe) Halloween Season
It’s easy to underestimate how small changes like putting up festive decorations could impact workplace safety. But safety risks oftentimes aren’t obvious until it’s too late.
Fortunately, no matter how you choose to welcome Halloween, you can take simple steps to keep everyone you work with safe, healthy, and happy. By decorating carefully, considering fire and food safety hazards, and limiting what festive outfits employees can wear on the job, you can ensure that everyone is protected from unnecessary risk.
