Deck the Halls Safely This Holiday Season

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- 'Tis the season for families to begin decorating their homes for the holidays and the national nonprofit Home Safety Council is urging families to keep safety top of mind when hanging the holly and mistletoe this year. While home injuries are a year-round concern, many popular decorating traditions such as hanging holiday lights and lighting candles bring increased home injury risks.

In fact, a recent Home Safety Council survey found that the majority of families (60 percent) worry more about home injuries during the winter season than any other time of year. In preparation for the winter holidays, 53 percent of the families surveyed said they plan to hang holiday lights, 40 percent will decorate outdoors and almost one-third (29 percent) will decorate with candles.

"This holiday season, the Home Safety Council is urging families to take a few simple safety steps that can pay big dividends in preventing injury," said Meri-K Appy, president of the Home Safety Council. "Families are really pressed for time during the holiday season, but it isn't difficult or time consuming to put home safety at the top of the holiday priority list. Just a few extra moments can make a life-changing difference in keeping family members safe during the holidays and year-round."

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, each year hospital emergency rooms treat nearly 12,800 people for injuries related to holiday decorating, including falls and electrical shocks. Before getting out holiday candles and lights or reaching for a ladder to decorate this year, consider the following tips and advice from the Home Safety Council.

Candle Safety

While candles provide a warm and festive atmosphere, research shows home fires caused by candles peak during the holiday season, with the highest number of candle fires occurring on Christmas Day, followed by New Year's Day and Christmas Eve.* This year candle safety tops the Home Safety Council's list of holiday safety tips:

    -- Make sure an adult is in the room and paying attention whenever you
       light a candle. Blow out all candles before going to sleep or leaving
       the room.
    -- To eliminate the risk of an open candle flame, use battery-powered
       candles whenever possible, especially when you combine candles with
       greenery or other decorations.
    -- Do not permit children to keep or use candles or incense in their
       rooms. Candles should only be used when a sober adult is present and
       awake.
    -- Never use lighted candles on or near a Christmas tree or other
       evergreens.
    -- Keep candles at least three feet away from anything that can burn,
       including other decorations and wrapping paper.
    -- Always use stable, nonflammable candle holders, with a hurricane glass
       to protect the open flame.
    -- Place candles where they will not be knocked down or blown over and out
       of reach of pets and young children.
    -- If you have children in your home, store candles, matches and lighters
       out of their sight and reach in a locked cabinet.

Holiday Electrical Safety

Holiday lights and electrical decorations create holiday cheer both inside and outside the home, but they can also create fire hazards and electrical shock risks if they are not handled properly. The Home Safety Council recommends taking the following electrical safety precautions while decorating your home this year:

    -- Inspect holiday lights and extension cords before decorating. Replace
       any that are fraying or damaged. Pay special attention to lights, cords
       or decorations that may have been damaged from winter weather
       conditions.
    -- Check for red or green Underwriters Laboratories (UL) marks on all
       light strings and extension cords. The green holographic UL Mark means
       the light strings should be used only indoors. The red holographic UL
       Mark indicates the light strings can be used both inside and out - and
       can withstand conditions related to outdoor use.
    -- Follow manufacturer's guidelines for stringing light sets together. As
       a general rule, UL recommends using no more than three standard-size
       sets of lights together.
    -- Plug outdoor decorations into outlets protected by ground fault circuit
       interrupters (GFCIs) to prevent shock.
    -- Hang or mount light strands carefully to avoid damaging the cord's
       insulation.
    -- Do not overload extension cords or electrical outlets.
    -- Unplug all holiday lights when you go to sleep or leave home.
    -- Automatic lighting timers can be used to ensure that lights are not
       left on. These are available for both indoor and outdoor use.
    -- Roll up excess electrical cords and keep them away from high traffic
       areas. Do not run electrical cords under rugs.
    -- Never keep an extension cord plugged in when it is not in use.
    -- When replacing a light bulb be sure to use the correct bulb size
       (wattage) that is right for the fixture.
    -- Use safety caps to keep children from putting things into electrical
       outlets.

Ladder Safety

Falls are by far the leading cause of home injury fatalities. The safest way to climb indoors and out is to use a safe and sturdy ladder. Follow the Home Safety Council's ladder safety tips when using a ladder to decorate the tree, retrieve stored decorations or hang holiday lights:

    -- Always use a sturdy ladder when climbing; it's too risky to climb on a
       chair.
    -- Before using a ladder outdoors, choose a location that is well away
       from all power lines. Coming in contact with live wires can be fatal.
    -- Place the ladder on level ground and open it completely, making sure
       all locks are engaged.
    -- Use the 4-to-1 rule for extension ladders: for each 4 feet of distance
       between the ground and the upper point of contact (such as the wall or
       roof), move the base of the ladder out 1 foot.
    -- Always face the ladder when climbing and wear slip-resistant shoes,
       such as those with rubber soles.
    -- Keep your body centered on the ladder and gauge your safety by your
       belt buckle. If your buckle passes beyond the ladder rail, you are
       overreaching and at risk for falling.
    -- Make sure rungs are dry before using the ladder.
    -- Stand at or below the highest safe standing level on a ladder. For a
       stepladder, the safe standing level is the second rung from the top,
       and for an extension ladder, it's the fourth rung from the top.

For more information and resources to stay safe in and around the home during the holidays and year round, please visit http://www.homesafetycouncil.org.

* National Fire Protection Association

About Home Safety Council

The Home Safety Council (HSC) is the only national non-profit organization solely dedicated to preventing home-related injuries that result in nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits on average each year. Through national programs, partnerships and the support of volunteers, HSC educates people of all ages to be safer in and around their homes. The Home Safety Council is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization located in Washington, DC.

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