Holiday Decoration Safety Tips

Holiday Decoration Safety Tips:

www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/611.pdf -


Trees
Many artificial trees are fire resistant. If you buy one, look for a statement specifying this protection. A fresh tree will stay green longer and be less of a fire hazard than a dry tree. To check for freshness, remember: A fresh tree is green. Fresh needles are hard to pull from branches. When bent between your fingers, fresh needles do not break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin. When the trunk of a tree is bounced on the ground, a shower of falling needles shows that tree is too dry. Place tree away from heat sources. Heated rooms dry trees out rapidly, creating fire hazards. Cut off about two inches of the trunk to expose fresh wood for better water absorption. Trim away branches as necessary to set tree trunk in the base of a sturdy, water-holding stand with wide spread feet. Keep the stand filled with water while the tree is indoors. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways. Use thin guy-wires to secure a large tree to walls or ceiling. These wires are almost invisible.

“Snow”
Artificial snow sprays can irritate lungs if inhaled. To avoid injury, read container labels; follow directions carefully.

Lights
Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety. Identify these by the label from an independent testing laboratory. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Discard damaged sets or repair them before using. Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house, walls or other firm support to protect from wind damage. Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord. Turn off all lights on trees and other decorations when you go to bed or leave the house. Lights could short and start a fire. Never use electric lights on a metallic tree.
The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and any person touching a branch could be electrocuted! To avoid this danger, use colored spotlights above or beside a tree, never fastened onto it! Keep “bubbling” lights away from children. These lights with their bright colors and bubbling movement can tempt curious children to break candle-shaped glass, which can cut, and attempt to drink liquid, which contains a hazardous chemical.


Holiday Decoration Safety Tips from CPSC
Trees, lights, and fireplaces a festive mix for disaster
Dateline: The Holiday Season

Before crawling up on the roof to string the Christmas lights, you need to know that every year, hospital emergency rooms treat about 12,500 people for injuries, such as falls, cuts and shocks, related to holiday lights, decorations and Christmas trees, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

In addition, warns CPSC, candles start about 11,600 each year, resulting in 150 deaths, 1,200 injuries and $173 million in property loss. Christmas trees are involved in about 300 fires annually, resulting in 10 deaths, 30 injuries and an average of more than $10 million in property loss and damage.

"Sometimes people are having such a nice time during the holidays that they forget to extinguish candles," said CPSC Chairman Hal Stratton. "Always put out lit candles before leaving a room or going to bed. Always keep burning candles within sight. Also, make sure your holiday lights bear the mark of a recognized testing lab to show they meet safety standards."



CPSC 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 will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.
* 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, which indicates conformance with safety standards. Use only lights that have fused plugs.
* Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections, and throw out damaged sets. Always replace burned-out bulbs promptly with the same wattage bulbs.
* Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord. Make sure the extension cord 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 to hold strings in place, not nails or tacks. Or, run strings of lights through hooks (available at hardware stores).
* 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 - they could unravel and inadvertently wrap around power lines.
* Outdoor electric lights and decorations should be plugged into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). Portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where electrical supplies are sold. GFCIs can be installed permanently to household circuits by a qualified electrician.

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.
* Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.
* In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid the child swallowing or inhaling small pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.
* Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with spun glass "angel hair."
* Follow container directions carefully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with artificial snow sprays.

http://www.christmaslightsanddecorations.com/

http://extension.usu.edu/

http://www.associatedcontent.com/

http://www.nt.gov.au/powerwater/factsheets/safety/safety_tip_xmas_lights.html
10 Safety tips for Christmas lights

1. If you are not experienced or are unsure of what you are doing, contact a licensed electrician.
2. Don’t overload your power points or power boards.
3. Don’t use damaged or broken switches, power points, plugs or leads.
4. If you are reusing Christmas lights, check their condition and replace any broken bulbs with those specified in the manufacturers instructions.
5. Keep tinsel away from power boards and wall sockets. Tinsel is made of metal foil and can conduct electricity.
6. Put the lights on your tree first, then add other decorations afterwards to ensure tinsel is kept away from the lights.
7. Keep extension cords clear of areas in the home where people walk and avoid feeding electrical leads through windows and doors.
8. For your outdoor decorations, use lighting products specifically designed for external use.

Indoor lights are less durable and are not designed to cope with the weather in the same way as outdoor lights.

9. Check that outdoor lights are away from overhead powerlines leading to your house.
10. Turn your Christmas lights off when you’re not at home.

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