As the holiday season comes upon us, you’ll start to see more and more holiday decorations spring up around your neighborhood. The lights, the trees, and the candles, while festive and beautiful, should be handled and put up with careful attention to safety concerns. Below are a few tips for celebrating injury-free holidays.
Christmas Trees
- For those looking for a more authentic holiday experience, live trees may be the way to go. However, be sure to check on the freshness of a tree. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and do not break when bent between your fingers. The bottom of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles. Also be sure to keep the tree stand filled with water to avoid it drying out.
- For those looking for artificial trees, make sure it is labeled as “fire resistant.” This does not mean the tree cannot catch fire, but is more resistant to fires than other artificial trees.
- Regardless of your type of tree, place it away from heat sources such as fireplaces, vents, and radiators.
- Only use lights that have been tested for safety by a nationally-recognized testing laboratory, such as UL or ITSNA.
- Make sure extension chords and lights have been rated for their intended uses, especially if they are certified for outdoor use.
- Check sets of lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections, and throw out damaged sets. Do not use electric lights on a metallic tree.
- If you use candles, burn them only within eyesight. Be sure to extinguish all candles before going to bed, leaving the room, or leaving the house.
- Keep lighted candles away from items that can catch fire and burn easily, like decorations, curtains, furniture, and (especially) Christmas trees.
For additional questions regarding safety around the holidays or to review your homeowner’s policy, please contact Blais Insurance at 401-725-0070.
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