Weekly Safety Meeting – Holiday Electrical Safety

With the fall and winter holidays approaching, we should give some thought to activities that include both indoor and outdoor decorating. It is the time of year that we literally place lights and decorations on every place we can put them.

Unfortunately, this wonderful, festive time of decoration is also one of the busiest times for firefighters. All the beautiful lights that we string across our homes can also present a serious electrical hazard, if the proper precautions are not taken.

Before flipping the switch and showing off our hard work, make sure we have followed a few simple electrical safety tips and precautions. This will not only ensure that we remain safe from electrical shocks and fire, but also that our lighting display is built to last through the holidays.

Holiday Electrical Safety Tips:

• When we use a real-live plant in our decoration, we must make sure we keep it watered the entire time that it is in use. When these plants become dry, they can easily go up in flames in seconds;
• REMEMBER, before placing lights on our homes, we should check each strand thoroughly for any kind of damage to cords, frayed ends, or even loose connections. Many older lights do not have fused plugs, so they should be replaced with new ones that do have this safety feature because this adds an additional layer of safety by preventing sparks in the event of a short circuit;
• Storage is an issue with our decorations. We can avoid any unwanted damage to our holiday materials by storing them in tightly sealed containers. This could prevent damage from water or even rodents;
• Replace all burned out bulbs with bulbs of the correct wattage;
• Never use tacks, nails, or screws to hold your electrical decorations in place. Instead, useinsulated hooks that will help prevent shorts;
• Always elevate the plugs of any cords that are running across the ground. This helps to keep them free from snow, water, and debris that cause damage and shorts;
• When it is necessary to use extension cords across the ground, tape them in place to prevent them from becoming a trip hazard and prevent cord damage from walking on them;

• Buy only lights that have the laboratory testing marks (typically the UL listing on the outside of the box). This ensures that your lights have passed a rigorous safety and performance standard;
• Always check the recommended usage for your lights, meaning are they rated for indoor or inside use or both. Indoor lights typically have thinner insulation and are more easily damaged when exposed to the weather;
• Always turn off your lights after hours and when not at home; and
• Plug your outdoor light into a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet to assist in avoiding overloading electrical circuits, overheating, and tripping breakers. These outlets are designed to shut off the flow of power whenever a short is detected.

Remember:

As a result of haphazard installation and ignoring many basic safety rules, the holiday lighting can often result in fires. This fact should not, however, stop you from decorating your home the way you enjoy. With a little electrical safety planning and following the above electrical tips, we can avoid almost all electrical fires.

Enjoy the holidays ahead and decorate safely!

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY TIME DECORATING TIME DURING THESE SEASONS!!