The holiday season is fast approaching and keeping safe during this busy time of year is critically important. Solutions has asked John Dougan, to revisit his 1998 Foresight article on how to keep our home, church, and school activities safe during the holiday season.
1998—The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. Proverbs 27:12 (NIV)
Holidays can be joyous, fun-filled times shared with families and friends, or a disaster if danger signs are overlooked. At home, school, work, and in our churches, hazards may lurk that can injure people or destroy property. This Foresight looks at some of the exposures that might be present during the holidays.
Christmas trees present one of the seasons biggest hazards. Live trees must be carefully selected for freshness. At the lot, tap the tree's trunk on the ground and look for needles. Only a few should fall from the tree. The trunk should also be sticky with sap, not smooth and dry. Pull on a branch near the base and look for loose needles. Then bend a few needles and ensure that they are not brittle and break.
At home, make a diagonal cut and remove about two inches from the bottom of the trunk to help water absorption. Install the tree in a sturdy stand that holds plenty of water and keep the reservoir filled. Position the tree away from fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, heat ducts, and other heat sources. The tree should also be set where it won't be knocked over or block doorways, halls, or stairs. Check the tree regularly. If needles start dropping “en masse,” remove it.
Artificial trees can also be a hazard as dust builds up during yearly use. Disassemble and wash artificial tree parts at the end of each holiday season and store in plastic bags when dry.
Read all instructions and warning labels. Regardless of what we purchase, nearly everything comes with instructions and/or precautionary warnings. Those warnings were generally created following one or more accidents or property losses. If it happened once, it can happen again.
Defective Christmas lights or extension cords can result in injuries from burns or electrical shock and are often responsible for destructive fires. Inspect light strings and cords for damage and check each strand for a factory label. Only UL listed lights should be used. Replace missing bulbs, and ensure cords are not run through windows or doorways, and that they are placed away from the water reservoir under the tree. Cords should be kept out of traffic areas and not run under rugs, carpet, or where they can be pinched by furniture.
Use indoor lights indoors, and outdoor lights outside, and test lights for 15 minutes before installing on the tree or outdoors. Lights should not be in contact with needles curtains or other combustible or flammable materials. In addition, never connect more than three light sets to an extension cord. If lights are strung together using the built-in connectors on the end, no more than 200 midget lights or 50 large lamps should be connected through one string or cord. Outdoor lights should be plugged into circuits protected by Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI). Unplug decorations, indoors and out, before going to bed or leaving the house.
"This holiday, think safety everywhere."Use candles and fireplaces with care. Never place candles near combustibles, flammables, or Christmas trees, and use in holders that cannot be tipped over. In 1995, candle fires caused 8,440 home fires, killed 76 people, and resulted in $117.6 million in property losses. Do not use real candles for processions. Fireplace screens or glass and spark arresters should be in place, and chimneys cleaned as needed. Ensure that smoke detectors are operating properly and that fire extinguishers are available. Extinguish fireplaces and candles before leaving the house or going to bed.
Children, pets, and decorations can be a hazardous mix. Light strings, decorations, tinsel, and plants should be placed out of reach, because many plants are poisonous. Small objects can be chewed on or swallowed, resulting in electrical shock or choking. Older ornaments may also contain toxic paints.
Holiday travel for many people means winter weather driving. Always allow plenty of time to get to your destination, decrease following distance on slick roads, and slow down to a safe speed for existing conditions. Get a good night's sleep before leaving and take emergency supplies (shovel, sand, salt or kitty litter, chains, blankets, food, first aid supplies, etc.).
We could address much more, but space is limited. This holiday, think safety everywhere. When shopping at night, park in well lit areas. Stay alert. Carry purses under coats or under arms and put wallets in front pockets. Have your car door key in your hand when approaching your car. At home, follow kitchen safety practices and maintain proper food holding temperatures. Use ladders safely when putting up lights and trees (don’t stand on chairs). Most of all, have a safe and happy holiday season.
2015 UPDATE from the Author
2015—As I reviewed this article from 1998, I realized very little has changed, except technology has evolved. One example is LED Christmas light strings. LEDs not only save energy, but also tend to run cooler. This reduces the risk of fire or personal injury from burns. Since they are generally not made from glass, the bulbs are not as easy to break. This decreases the chance of cuts to hands and feet. Still, the Consumer Product Safety Commission indicated in their December 2013 release (Number 14-042) that injuries involving holiday decorating continued to rise four years in a row starting in 2009. In November and December of 2012, emergency rooms nationwide treated 15,000 decoration-related injuries from stepping on broken ornaments, falling off ladders, burns, back strains, and others.In December 2013, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported “during 2007-2011, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 10,600 home structure fires started by candles per year.”1 Additionally, candle fires caused an average of 115 civilian deaths, 903 civilian injuries, and $418 million in property damage annually.
The NFPA also pointed out that the top three days for home candle fires were Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Those are the typical times to have the Christmas tree, wreaths, evergreen boughs, and more combustible decorations on display than most other time periods. Extra vigilance in placement and protection of candles is important, as well as ensuring all candles are extinguished completely before going to sleep. More than one-third of the candle fires reported started in bedrooms.
There is a lot of good safety information on numerous topics in this Solutions Classic article that can help you avoid becoming one of those holiday injury statistics. Now that I have read it again, hopefully I’ll avoid becoming a statistic too.
