Nothing says Halloween quite like a jack-o-lantern. Each October many families enjoy the tradition of carving pumpkins.
Sometimes, though, the fun of this family activity can make people forget about the danger of using sharp knives. The truth is there are some inherent risks with carving a pumpkin.
Pumpkin carving can lead to hand injuries
A meta-review of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System found that from 2012 to 2021, lacerations to the hand accounted for more than 20,000 pumpkin-related knife injuries resulting in emergency room visits. Of those, 87.6 percent were hand injuries, with the thumb and index finger most often affected. Adolescents between 10 and 19 and children under 10 were the most commonly injured.
Children are often the ones who sustain an injury because they don’t measure the risk—their concentration is on the task at hand and they don’t realize some of the danger.
Tips for carving pumpkins safely
It’s important for parents to be aware of the dangers that can come with carving pumpkins and take steps to minimize the risk of injury. These simple tips can help keep your family out of the emergency room with hand injuries this fall.
- Do not allow children under the age of 14 to have any type of sharp tool in their hand. It is always best for adults to do the carving. Always carve in the direction away from yourself.
- Keep things dry. Anyone who has ever carved a pumpkin knows how wet and slippery things can get. The liquid in the pumpkin can make your hands and knives slip, and it only takes a second to lose control. Keep plenty of rags around to keep things dry.
- Never put your hand inside the pumpkin when cutting. Keep the top of the pumpkin on so you can hold the pumpkin with your hand from above, and then use a sawing motion to cut into the pumpkin. If your hand is inside, a sharp knife can pierce right through and hit your finger or hand, causing a skin laceration or a more involved injury like cutting a tendon, nerve, or muscle, or a combination of them.
- Be sure you have good lighting. You need to be able to see well to avoid injuries.
Use a pumpkin carving kit
Pumpkin carving kits are available online and in many stores. They are especially helpful if children will be involved. These kits contain a small saw that works better with the tough exterior and soft interior of pumpkins. They often include a scooping tool that is great for removing the interior pulp and seeds – and a safe job for the kids. Some kits contain stencils—ask your children to trace the stencils on the pumpkins, and then an adult can do the carving.
Alternatives ways to decorate pumpkins
Of course, there are always alternatives to carving to keep it even safer.
- Paint your pumpkins! You can use finger paints, magic markers, or even watercolor paints to add decorative touches to your pumpkins.
- Make string art on the pumpkins. Work with your kids to draw designs on the pumpkins, then an adult can gently hammer nails partly into the pumpkin around the design. Give the kids the string and let them fill in the shape as much as they want.
- Use decoupage glue to attach images made from construction paper or other objects with printed designs.
We hope you have a happy Halloween, but if you do have an accident, our emergency services are always available to you.
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