Diwali Safety Tips

8 Safety tips to follow for your Diwali celebrations

Overview

Diwali is the biggest Hindu festival, celebrated with much enthusiasm and zeal. Almost every household is decorated with lights, rangolis, and flowers at this time of the year. The vibrant festival is also about mouth-watering sweets, new clothes, gifts, and social get-togethers. The celebrations include bursting firecrackers, sometimes all through the night!

While Diwali is a time to celebrate, it is also a time to be cautious. The celebrations might turn into accidents if you don't exercise proper care. It does not mean that you cancel your celebrations; it just means that you should celebrate with safety. 

So, to aid you in a safe celebration, here are eight safety tips that can come in handy –

Lamps/Diyas

Diwali is that time of the year when diyas and lamps light up every household. The significance of lighting diyas is rooted in religion, as people lit up their homes when Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya. So, as you fulfil this tradition, you must protect against the possibility of a fire, which is common when multiple lamps are lit. 

So, here are some safety tips that you should follow:

 

• Keep the diyas away from flammable objects like curtains and clothes and from an infant’s reach.

• Do not light up diyas in the vicinity of electric wires.

• Place diyas on a stable and even surface to avoid toppling over.

• Do not line your doorways or windows with lamps or diyas.

• You should advise children to stay away from fire.
  

Firecrackers

What is Diwali without firecrackers?

Firecrackers are loved by adults and children alike; they double up the celebration. However, cheap or stale crackers might also cause severe accidents. So, when bursting firecrackers, remember the following:

 

• Avoid loud and dangerous firecrackers.

• Invest in good quality items, even if they are pricier. It would ensure their quality and safety too.

• Adults should supervise children when they are bursting firecrackers.

• Burst crackers in open spaces, away from electrical wiring.

• Avoid crowded spots and burst your crackers away from other people.

• Maintain a safe distance when lighting them.

• Burst one cracker at a time.

• Be alert at all times. Do not take your attention away from the cracker when bursting it.

• Keep a first aid box, a bucket of water, and a fire extinguisher ready.
  

Despite adopting safety practices, tragedy might strike, and you or a loved one might suffer an injury or accident when bursting firecrackers. You need immediate medical attention when this happens, which can prove expensive. Firecracker insurance coverage is available to cover medical expenses arising from firecracker-related incidents.

The policy covers accidental injuries due to firecrackers. You get covered up to Rs.2 lakhs for treatment costs, disabilities, and even loss of income at a premium of only Rs.549. So, invest in a firecracker insurance policy and safeguard your finances if there is any firecracker-related contingency.

Disposal and littering

While celebrating the night away, you should not ignore the firecracker waste you rack up. You should collect all the burnt crackers, put them in a bucket of water to douse any sparks, and dispose of them. Be careful with half-burnt crackers, as they can cause severe injury. 

Sort the rubbish into piles and then dispose of it responsibly and safely. 

Noise and smoke pollution

Noise and smoke pollution are common problems during Diwali. The noise and smoke emanating from firecrackers are not suitable for health. It can disturb the elderly, bab,ies and the sick. You can suffer from breathing problems due to the harmful smoke. 

So, here are some safety tips to avoid the effects of noise and smoke pollution –

 

• Burst firecrackers, but in a limited manner.

• Buy noiseless and smokeless fireworks.

• Infants and babies should be kept indoors with doors and windows securely locked.

• If you or a family member is allergic to smoke, stay away from the area where the crackers are being burst
  

Pet safety

Animals are also affected by the noise and smoke of the firecrackers. Since they cannot speak, they get agitated and irritated. So, if you own pets, keep them in the innermost part of your house, away from deafening noise and smoke. Take care of stray dogs by bursting crackers away from them. If someone is engaging in animal cruelty, report the individual.

Clothing

Diwali means dressing up in the latest trends. However, designer clothes can lead to injuries if they are made with flammable materials. So, when dressing up for Diwali, keep the following things in mind:

• Avoid igniting lamps and diyas in flammable materials.

• Do not wear flowing clothes if you are going out for bursting crackers.  Try and change into simple cotton clothes that fit your body so that there’s no hanging part that can catch fire.

• Tie up your and your kids’ hair.

• Avoid synthetic materials, as they are highly flammable. If you buy them, avoid wearing them when lighting lamps or crackers.
  

Food safety

Diwali includes a delicious feast: sweets, snacks, or the whole meal. Moreover, as you pay a visit to your near and dear ones, you end up gorging on mouth-watering delicacies. 

 

Overconsumption of heavy and fried foods can upset your digestion. Moreover, suppose you are eating food you bought outside. In that case, there is a danger of poor quality as eateries face high demand during Diwali. 

 

So, some food safety tips are mentioned below:

• When buying food from outside, choose only reputed and high-quality stores, even if they are expensive.

• Wash your hands before eating.

• Keep your food covered and avoid bingeing on street food.

• Try and eat a home-cooked meal.

• Limit your consumption of sweets and oily or fried foods.

Environment safety

Lastly, observing environment safety is also essential as Diwali can cause air pollution because of the bursting of firecrackers. Air pollution proves hazardous to health, so you need to follow safety rules in the interest of the environment too. Some such rules are as follows:

 

• Choose firecrackers that do not have loud sounds or noises.

• Go for green crackers that do not emit harmful pollutants into the air.

• Do not litter. Dispose of used crackers responsibly.

Conclusion 

Diwali is a time to celebrate. Observing the safety tips mentioned above can make your celebrations more fun. These tips would help prevent accidents and injuries and ensure a safe Diwali. All the tips mentioned above are simple yet effective. So, take care of yourself and your family and celebrate responsibly.

To protect against emergencies, invest in suitable insurance policies that come in handy during mishaps. A burns cover plan is relevant as it covers burn-related accidents. The plan pays a lump sum benefit in the case of burns so that you can pay for the expensive medical bills and avail yourself of quality treatments.

Another relevant coverage is the firecracker insurance cover that covers firecracker-related contingencies. Get financial assistance in the case of an accident, injury, or disability suffered due to a firecracker.

Both plans offer a broad scope of protection at affordable premiums. They can be helpful tools for a safe Diwali. 

So, celebrate, socialise and have fun this Diwali, but keep the safety tips in mind to have a memorable festival.