It’s that time of year again: decorating the house for the holiday season, visiting friends and family, and host parties. The Christmas season is a time of happiness, but if a person isn’t careful, certain hazards can pose a great risk of personal injury accidents occurring.
A CNN.com article recently featured some safety tips that should be taken into account when holiday decorating this season. According to the article, the U.S. Department of Energy reports that the average home in the U.S. uses about six times as much electricity as a home did 20 years ago, and this is sure to increase even further over the holidays with the addition of indoor and outdoor lights. You should put your lights on a timer so you don’t have to worry about turning the lights off when you go to sleep or leave your house. Setting your lights on a timer can potentially prevent fires from occurring.
The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) reports that there are approximately 250 fires every year that start with a Christmas tree. Another 170 fires begin due to decorative lights each year. When thinking about purchasing holiday lights, you should consider LED ones, which use only 10 percent of the energy that normal lights use. Additionally, they are cool to the touch, which is very crucial if small children could potentially come in contact with them.
You should also think about purchasing an artificial Christmas tree this holiday season. Fake trees are now made with non-flammable materials, which reduce the risk of a fire and subsequent burn injuries occurring.
Be careful when you are hanging holiday lights and decorations as well. According to the ESFI, about 5,800 people have to be treated in hospital emergency rooms each year due to falls that are holiday decorating-related. You should invest in a small step ladder to help prevent falls from occurring when you decorate.
Lastly, you should use battery-operated candles instead of regular ones. Candles cause over 15,000 home fires every year, according to the ESFI. Battery-operated candles will significantly reduce this risk.
If you do suffer a personal injury this Christmas, and believe it was due to a person or business’ negligence or a defective product, contact the Santa Cruz personal injury attorneys at Van Der Walde & Associates. We will build a strong case on your behalf while you recover from your injury. Call us today at 877-862-6288 to learn about your legal rights and options in pursuing a personal injury lawsuit in Santa Cruz. We offer free consultations.
