Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights – a five day celebration that happens every year sometime between mid-October and mid-November. It is a very important day spiritually for Hindus and one of the most important festivals of the year, as it is celebrated with family and brings people together. Strangely enough, Diwali is actually also considered to be one of the most dangerous Hindu festivals as there is often the use of fireworks and other fire-based amusements such as firecrackers. These clearly have the ability to cause significant damage to skin and eyes if they are used incorrectly – and sometimes the joy of the celebration leads to fairly lax considerations of health and safety.
So it is extremely important that if you are going to take part in the Diwali celebration you follow precautions and are made aware of the dangers that you can face. You must always think of safety first even when you are having a great time. The first thing that is important to remember is that you must avoid any types of synthetic and loose clothing. It is well known that synthetic materials are generally far more flammable and loose clothing also has the likelihood of catching fire without you noticing it. If you can avoid wearing these sorts of things it will be very good for your general safety.
There are also a number of other safety considerations that you should think about – remember that it also pays to prepare for the worst. Keep a first aid kit handy so that any problems that arise can be tended to immediately. It’s also worth having something nearby to douse potential flames such as a bucket of sand or water. Asthma sufferers are particularly at risk, so make sure that if you do have this condition, you keep your inhaler with you at all times. It’s also worth noting that contact lenses are best avoided as well.
If you have children, remember that they are especially vulnerable around Diwali, even if they are able to enjoy it like nobody else can. Children are erratic and impulsive and it is best to remove any possibility that they can do themselves harm. They should always be taught to light firecrackers at arm’s length away and to be very careful when handling them. There is nothing more dangerous for a child’s own safety than themselves when it comes to playing with fire. Exercise caution at all times and make sure your child doesn’t get hurt.
It’s worth thinking about whether the firecrackers that you are using are going to be up to the right standards of health and safety – as there is a very high demand for cheap firecrackers around the festival, but at what cost? The problem is that cheap firecrackers are also likely to have lackadaisical health and safety standards involved in their production. This is an issue that is often overlooked because people are more interested in having a good time than looking after their health. The best idea is to buy firecrackers in boxes that have appropriate health and safety regulations.
Remember that even with taking all the appropriate safety measures, you can still find yourself in a situation that is very dangerous – and indeed mishaps can still occur no matter how careful you are. If they do and you need to treat anyone, remember the importance of hygiene, use water to wash any wounds. Bandage the affected area unless there are significant burns or bleeding, in which case it is always best practice to go and see the doctor.