As we approach the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, we also approach the most hazardous time of the year. Here's how to aviod the most common Holiday Hazards.
The parties, the decorations, the prepping and even shopping can present hazards to your health and home. To keep yourself and your family safe here are a few holiday hazards and how to prevent and avoid them. House Fires: Each year, over 400 residential fires are caused by Christmas trees, ending in as many as 40 deaths and 100 injuries. Daunting stuff when considering Christmas is supposed to be cheery! House fires are extremely common during the holiday season considering all the lights, cooking, and stress that may distract individuals. How to quickly put out a house fire: Now, when facing a real fire the best move is to first call 911 and let the pros do what they were trained to do. Regardless, sometimes you need and can combat smaller fires yourself, here’s how.- Get a home fire extinguisher: This is a must-have item no matter who you are or where you live. It’s the best way to stop a fire before it becomes uncontrollable or to protect yourself as you escape. There are directions on every extinguisher so get one and familiarize yourself with how to use it. Youtube is a great source too if you’re a visual learner!
- Know different kinds of fires and how to handle them: Electrical fires: NEVER USE WATER! Use deductive reasoning on this one, though water typically beats fire, water also conducts electricity which will cause MORE sparks. Switch off the power to whatever started the fire and smother the flames with a clean, nonflammable blanket. You can also use a Type C fire extinguisher. Cooking Fires: Again NEVER USE WATER! If a grease fire starts in your kitchen you can do one of two things: First calmly turn the heat off to the pan and smother the flames with a metal lid. If you can’t do that, smother the flames with baking soda, flour or use a type A:B:C fire extinguisher. Small Gas Fires: Immediately shut off the gas supply so the fire doesn’t get bigger. You can smother the fire with a thick rug, put it out with COOL water, or use a Type B extinguisher.
Trees and Decorations:
When purchasing an artificial tree make sure you buy one that has a “fire resistant” label. While this does not mean it won’t catch fire; but if it does it would be a lot easier to extinguish. If you’re more prone to the traditional live pine tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are difficult to pull from branches and when bent between your fingers, the needles do not break.
When setting up your tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Heated rooms dry live leaves rapidly, which makes the tree easier to ignite. This means you should also keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of foot traffic and doorways as well.
Never use lighted candles on or near a tree, and take special care not to use decorations that are sharp or breakable. Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of reach from children, or trimmings that resemble food, obvious choking hazards for the kiddos.
As for lights, indoors or outdoors, always use lights that have been tested for saftey by a recognized testing lab . Typically any major store’s brand should have a sticker or section that indicates such testing. Check each set of lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires or loose connections. Throw away any bad sets - these are EXTREMELY dangerous, even just one.
Before using outdoor lights, make sure the lights are made for the outside. And always turn off the lights, or use a timer that shuts them off when you’re asleep or away from home - the lights could short and start a fire.
Holiday Plants:
While great traditions and totally cute, a lot of these typical plants are huge holiday hazards. Holly the holly and mistletoe if you plan to have small children or pets at your holiday party. All can be toxic, even pinecones and falling berries can be choking hazards. Poinsettias as well are extremely poisonous to pets so if you must have them, keep them out of eating reach!
Gift Wrapping:
I know I know, how dangerous could wrapping paper be? While most ribbons and papers are nontoxic, certain foils and colored gift wraps may contain lead. It’s best not to let toddlers and babies chew on them. After you open your gifts, or as you open your gifts, keep a trash bag handy to throw the wrappers in.
Car Accidents:
One of the most common holiday hazards. The culmination of holiday parties and slick and dangerous winter roads are a deadly combination. Exhaustion and maybe one-too-many eggnogs cause for reckless drivers during the season. Statistics show that the 35 days between Thanksgiving and New Years is the biggest long-distance-travel period of the year as well. Tired people are driving around and possibly nodding off. Stay vigilant if you have to drive and if you’re driving… call an uber. You’ll be better off for it.
Stress:
One of the very very common holiday hazards. You’re party planning, your in-laws are coming, those gifts still need buying.. The holiday season is a lot for people. So much so, a study from the American Psychological Association found that 44% of women reported increased stress at this time and 31% of men felt the same. Set realistic goals and expectations for the holidays and find inexpensive ways to enjoy your time together with family and friends. It’ll significantly lower stress levels.
Food Safety:
Each year, 48 million American develop food poisoning. Holiday buffets and dinners offer an open playground for contamination, and stressed out mommies who maybe didn’t read that thermometer as well as they should can also cause some inadvertent illnesses. There are some simple solutions though:
Most contaminants from fruit and veggies can be easily washed off. Only through cooking, though, can you get rid of bacteria from meat, fish and poultry. Keep in mind the “danger zone” temperatures of meats - between 40 and 140 degrees fahrenheit. Leaving raw meat or poultry in the dangerzone for more than two hours may cause illness-causing bacteria to form that can’t be cooked away.
Children filled with Holiday “Spirits”:
Having a holiday party with kids? Keep an eye on the drinks. Children can be curious, mischievous, and risky - especially when it comes to alcohol. It is not uncommon for children to suffer from alcohol poisoning due to half-drunk cocktails and wine glasses left around a party. Be sure to ask your guests to dispose of drinks properly so the kiddos don’t have their own private tasting.
While some of these may seem pretty doom-and-gloom, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. These are real hazards and you don’t need any more stress than the holidays already produce. Keep you and your family safe and keep these tips in mind!
