Holiday Safety Tips and Suggestions
By Owen Whetzel
Although safety is important year round, the Christmas season has more opportunities for fires and other hazards. The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) suggests following these tips, to make your holiday a safe one.
Trees:
When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label "Fire Resistant." Although this label does not mean the tree won't catch fire, it does indicate the tree is more resistant to burning.
When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and do not break, when bent between your fingers. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Because heated rooms dry live trees out rapidly, be sure to keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.
Lights:
Indoors or outside, use only lights, that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory, such as UL (Underwriters Laboratories) or ETL (Electrical Testing Laboratories). This indicates conformance with safety standards
Use only lights, that have plugs containing fuses.
Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Throw out damaged sets. Always replace burned-out bulbs promptly with the same wattage bulbs.
If using an extension cord, make sure it is rated for the intended use.
Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.
Stay away from power or feeder lines leading from utility poles into older homes.
Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other firm supports, to protect the lights from wind damage. Use only insulated staples (not nails or tacks), to hold strings in place. Or, run strings of lights through hooks made for the purpose. These hooks are available at OSH.
Turn off all holiday lights, when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.
Use caution, when removing outdoor holiday lights. Never pull or tug on lights – this could cause stress on the connections, that could create a fire hazard.
Outdoor electric lights and decorations should be plugged into circuits protected by ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) to protect against electric shock. Portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased at OSH. GFCIs can also be installed permanently to household circuits by an experienced do-it-yourselfer or licensed, qualified electrician.
Candles and Other Decorations:
Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous, if ingested by children.
Keep burning candles within sight.
Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles out of reach of children and pets.
In homes with small children, take special care to avoid sharp or breakable decorations, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children, who could swallow or inhale small pieces, and avoid trimmings, that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.
To avoid eye and skin irritation, wear gloves, when decorating with spun glass "angel hair."
To avoid lung irritation, follow container directions carefully, while decorating with artificial snow sprays.
Fireplaces:
Use care with "fire salts," which produce colored flames, when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that, if eaten, can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting. Keep them away from children.
Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. Wrappings can ignite suddenly and burn intensely, resulting in a flash fire.
Place a screen around your fireplace, to prevent sparks from igniting nearby flammable materials.
Top Safe Shopping Tips for this year:
Magnets – For children under age six, avoid building sets with small magnets. If swallowed, serious injuries and/or death can occur.
Small Parts – For children younger than age three, avoid toys with small parts, which can cause choking.
Ride-on Toys – Riding toys, skateboards and in-line skates go fast and falls could be deadly. Helmets and safety gear should be sized to fit.
Projectile Toys – Projectile toys such as air rockets, darts and slingshots are for older children. Improper use of these toys can result in serious eye injuries.
Chargers and Adapters – Charging batteries should be supervised by adults. Chargers and adapters can pose thermal burn hazards to children.
The CPSC also recommends using the following tips, to help choose appropriate toys for children:
-- Be a label reader. Look for toy labels, that give age and safety recommendations and use that information as a guide.
-- Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the intended child. Look for sturdy construction, such as tightly-secured eyes, noses and other potential small parts.
-- For all children under 8, avoid toys, that have sharp edges and points.
Once the gifts are open:
-- Immediately discard plastic wrappings on toys, before they become dangerous play things.
-- Keep toys appropriate for older children away from younger siblings or neighbors.
-- Pay attention to instructions and warnings on battery chargers. Some chargers lack any device to prevent overcharging.
-- And a final tip from the National Safety Council (NSC). Small children may think that holiday plants look good enough to eat. But many plants can cause severe stomach problems. Plants to watch out for include: mistletoe, holly berries, Jerusalem cherry, and amaryllis. Keep all of these plants out of children's reach.