Pumpkin carving can be a wonderful family activity, but one little slip and the fun can quickly turn into a trip to the emergency room. If you’re an American adult, we’re going to make the assumption that you’ve probably carved a pumpkin before and know firsthand how slippery and tough they can be – how easy it is for a knife to slip, go through the skin and out the other side where your hand is holding the pumpkin steady.
So as a suggestion, consider decorating your pumpkin or follow a couple pumpkin carving safety tips to keep you and your family from becoming a Halloween accident statistic.
Pumpkin Carving Injury Statistics:
- During October and November 2013, more than half of the estimated 4,400 Halloween-related injuries involved pumpkin carving.
- According to Handcare.org Halloween is one of the top three holidays that produce the most emergency room visits.
- According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, children ages 10-14 sustained the greatest proportion of injuries (30.3 percent) of those 33.3 percent were lacerations and 20.1 percent were fractures
Pumpkin Carving Safety Tips:
- Choose the right pumpkin – one that is sturdy with a flat bottom.
- Carve pumpkins in a well-lit area.
- Take your time.
- Leave the carving to adults – let the kiddos trace the stencil on the pumpkin an use a spoon to remove the pulp and seeds.
- Sharper knives aren’t better – they can get stuck in pumpkin tissue.
- Us a pumpkin carving kit – with special saws, stencils and scoops.
- If the kids want to carve the pumpkin themselves make sure to get a pumpkin carving kit specifically meant for kids.
Sources:
- cpsc.gov
- kids.usa.gov
- aaos.org
- handcare.org