Holiday decoration safety tips.
Houston – Decorating your living space can be a fun way to show your holiday spirit and enjoy the holiday season. Harris County Public Health (HCPH) encourages community members to consider these holiday decorating and fire safety tips to ensure you and your loved ones decorate and celebrate responsibly.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are about 160 Christmas decorating-related injuries each day during the holiday season, with over 40% of the incidents involving falls. During the 2022 holiday season (Nov. 1, 2021 – Jan. 31, 2022), about 14,800 people were treated in hospital emergency departments across the United States due to holiday decorating-related injuries.
Tree Safety Tips
The National Fire Protection Association estimates that more than two in five home Christmas tree fires occur due to electrical distribution or lighting equipment hazards. As you decorate your Christmas tree for the holiday season, consider the tips below to safely decorate your tree:
- When buying an artificial Christmas tree, look for the “Fire Resistant” label.
- If you have a real Christmas tree, make sure it has plenty of water.
- Keep potentially poisonous holiday plant decorations, including mistletoe berries and holly berries, away from children and pets.
- Never string together more than three sets of incandescent lights, and never overload electrical outlets.
Other Decoration Safety Tips
- Never leave candles unattended. Place burning candles in sight, away from flammable items, and blow them out before leaving the room. Use flameless candles whenever possible.
- Test your home’s smoke and CO alarms to ensure they are working properly.
- Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from heat sources. Heat sources include fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, portable heaters, and candles.
- When decorating your house’s exterior, wear proper footwear and gloves while outdoors.
- Take your time and bring a friend or relative to help you manage climbing ladders or lifting heavy materials.
- Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.
Following these holiday decoration and fire safety tips can help you ensure you have a safer holiday season. If you are feeling under the weather and think you may have flu or COVID-19, contact your primary healthcare provider for guidance.