Source: Marvin (PA)

David Fisher points out that there are 3 areas of danger which need to be considered when making candles.

• Dealing with hot wax
• Accidents & Spills
• Using fragrances etc that can irritate skin. Be careful of what you use.

Preperation

Like with most things preparation is essential when taking on a candle making project. You should start by selecting an appropriate location to make your candles. It should be somewhere with plenty of space and is not near anything that could catch fire or cause harm to yourselves. It would also be useful to have a fire distinguisher and wipes on hand to clean up spillages and put out live flames.

Follow A Method

People often find following a method harder than they first thing so the golden rule is to take your time. Don’t rush it as you will only make mistakes. Follow your chosen guide carefully.

I think Cajun probably have some of the best candle making guides and they are well worth the look.

http://www.cajuncandles.com/beginnersguide.html

Ingredients

Be careful with the ingredients you use. Some can be toxic so be careful with your hands. I would recommend using gloves. Also colouring can be very powerful and can ruin clothes if splashed on them. Wear sensible clothes that you don’t mind ruining.

Melt Your Wax Safely

Wax does not look like much but when your heating it to extreme temperatures it can become extremely dangerous.

Keep an eye on the temperature. You don’t want your wax to get to hot.

Never leave hot wax unattended. It is probably the stage where you should take over from your children. Don’t even leave it to answer the phone or for any other distraction. Monitor it carefully.

These are all common sense rules but very much worth sticking to and the main thing is to enjoy the experience.

The National Candle Association also gives some great general advice on candle safety.

Heat Resistant Surfaces – Its important to place candles on heat resistant surfaces. May people make the mistake of forgetting to do this and end up with a melted surface.

Never leave a candle unattended – Make sure you put a candle out if you are about to leave the room

Rigid Candle Holders – Use strong rigid candleholders that are not prone to falling over.

Putting Your Candle Out – Use a spoon or a snuffer to put out your candles. It is more advisable than using your fingers.

These are some of the basic outlines you should follow. If you would like more detailed information on candle safety then why not check out the fire services candle safety page.