Purim costumes
Purim costumesIsrael news photo: file

As Israelis celebrate Purim, it is important to remember some safety hazards for children.

The head of emergency medicine at the Schneider Medical Center, Professor Yechezkel Weissman, has advised parents not to let their children play with firecrackers, and to be sure that treats given to young children do not include small hard candies, nuts, or other choking hazards.

Any use of firecrackers should be carefully supervised, and firecrackers should not be brought near the face or eyes. They should be kept far from the ears as well, as firecracker blasts near the ears can cause permanent hearing damage.

If a child is injured by a firecracker, parents should rinse the injured area, bandage it, and bring the child to their local hospital immediately, he said.

If smoke enters a person's eyes, the eye should be washed out quickly with water, and the victim brought to the nearest medical center.

Children’s costumes should be labeled as having met safety standards, and should not include paper, feathers or other highly flammable materials.

Costumes that have been approved by government experts bear an official safety seal (“Tav teken”) with the number 562.

Last year the Ministry of Trade and Labor started a mission to get dangerous toys off the market. Prohibited toys are seized from warehouses and stores and any person caught selling illegal, dangerous toys will face legal action.

Illegal toys include: firecrackers with explosive material, cans of spray foam that do not meet safety standards, and toy guns that look real.