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Halloween is only a couple of weeks away, and despite the federal government's efforts, some dangerous and defective children's Halloween costumes are for sale on retailer's racks and shelves, and also over the internet.

Costume defects and dangers include:

• Not meeting flammability standards. 
• Exceeding the acceptable lead limit as a result of the inks and paint used for printed designs. 
• Obscuring a child's vision as a result of a poorly designed mask. 
• Eye contact with dangerous materials such as decorative unapproved and recalled contact lenses to be used with the costumes. 
• Suffocation risks from defectively designed masks. 
• Long costumes which dangerously drag on the ground leading to slip and fall injuries, not only for the person wearing the costume, but also for others passing by the costume wearer.  
• Dangerous chemicals may be used in making the costume fabric or applied after the costume is made.  Often these chemicals are used to hold the costume's shape, to attach notions, to set the printed design on the fabric, or to make the costume easy to care for. These dangers can cause lung damage, the onset of  upper respiratory issues, allergic reactions,  seizures and permanent neurological damage as well as other medical problems. 
• The use of small buttons, bling and glued-on or sown-on small objects which can become dangerous choking hazards.

During the 2012 Halloween season, national television news on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and Fox reported on costumes being recalled for exceeding the allowable lead limit, flammability issues, and small-object choking hazard concerns relating to easy to detach small buttons and other sewed-on or glued-on accessories. 

During September 2012, an ABC TV affiliate station in Seattle, (ABC7) did not stop with only sending out for lead content testing 30 randomly purchased Halloween costumes, but they also purchased and had tested accessories to be worn with the costumes such as Halloween jewelry and decorative contact lenses. What the outside labs found was alarming.

• One example was a spider ring which was being sold in the Seattle metro area as well as throughout the United States. The spider rings, randomly purchased in Seattle, had a 67% lead content level which put them in a dangerous category of almost 6,000 times the legal limit of being safe. 
• ABC7 pointed out that contact lenses require a prescription to be legally sold in Seattle or anywhere else in the United States. Despite this, unapproved FDA decorative contact lenses were being sold in many costume stores and  by on-line sellers in 2012.  They continue to be sold in 2013.  There have been serious injuries as a result, including blindness and other disabling eye related issues.  Retailers selling these decorative contact lenses may be unaware they are breaking the law by selling them, or offering to sell them, if the FDA has not approved these decorative contact lenses.  In addition, they are breaking the law in selling them without a prescription from a qualified eye professional. 

Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Attorney, Randall Spivey says, "Halloween safety starts with choosing or making a safe costume."

Many important safety tips will be found at:

•  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website http://www.cdc.gov/family/halloween/ 
•  Other on-line sources including http://voices.yahoo.com/how-pick-least-dangerous-halloween-costumes-12243100.html?cat=25

Fort Myers Defective Products Attorney,  Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys. He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida. For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at  239. 337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839, or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com  for more information. You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.