Safety Tips for Holiday Decorating
The holiday season is upon us and many of us will soon put out holiday decorations, which could include outdoor lighting, trees, snow, candles, and more. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission issues guidelines annually that are designed to keep consumers safe during the holiday season. We offer the following safety tips that you should keep in mind when decorating for the upcoming holidays such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas and the New Year.
Lights
When selecting indoor or outdoor lights, be sure your lights have been safety tested. Also be sure to select the right types of lights for your decorating needs, being careful never to place indoor lights outside. Fasten all outdoor lights securely to a fixed surface, such as trees, houses, walls, fences, and the like. Do not use more than three strands of standard sized lights per each extension cord. Check over each set of lights before using them, looking for broken sockets, frayed wires, loose connections, or other defects. Before leaving your home or going to bed, turn off all decorative lights as they could fray and start a fire. Keep a close eye on small children around decorative lights as they could be tempted to touch the bright colored lights and could break them and even ingest the harmful liquid housed within bubbling type lights.
Trees
If you elect to purchase an artificial tree, look for one that is fire resistant. This should be specified on the label, or consult with the seller of the tree. If you purchase a real tree, know that a fresh tree is less of a fire hazard than a dry tree. To check for freshness, assess whether the tree is green, the needles are hard to pull off and do not break easily, and the trunk is sticky with resin.
Select the spot where your tree will stay carefully. Make sure it is not near any heat sources and is away from high traffic areas. Keep the tree stand full of water at all times so that the tree will remain healthy and fresh. When the tree becomes excessively dry and could pose a fire threat, it is time to take the tree down.
Defective Decorations
Each year, some individuals are injured due to holiday lights that start fires or cause electrocutions, or by some other holiday decoration defect. If you or a loved one is injured this holiday season and believe a product defect or some other form of negligence caused the accident, consult with a lawyer as soon as possible.
Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law: Put Our Over 39 Years of Experience to Work on Your Case!
If you or a loved one has been injured in any type of accident involving negligence, contact the Georgia Personal Injury Attorneys at Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law. Our law firm is dedicated to assisting injured accident victims across Georgia and in the Southeast. We bring over 39 years of experience to your personal injury case, providing you with the exceptional representation you need to obtain the best possible outcome. The sooner you act after your injury, the greater your chances of obtaining a full recovery will be. As such, it is important that you seek the assistance of a licensed lawyer as soon as possible. Call Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law, 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.
Source:
https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/121347/611.pdf