At this time last year, we shared with you several tips on how to stay safe while hanging your holiday lights. Whether you’re stringing them up on a Christmas tree or lining the eaves, holiday lights can be both beautiful and dangerous. Because we think this is an important topic for all our clients and their tenants, we’ve decided to update the post and share even more safety tips! You can see the original post here.
This holiday season reduce the chance of accidental shocks or destructive fires from breaking out in your building by keeping your residents informed. Each year emergency care facilities treat around 10,400 patients for cuts, shocks, and falls related to holiday light decorations. To protect your residents and building from potential harm, hand out a holiday information sheet with safety tips and your building’s holiday decoration policy. We’ll cover holiday light safety tips in this blog post – with more holiday decoration tips to follow!
While Hanging
- Hang lights with a buddy. They can hold the ladder steady and be on call for any emergencies.
- Make sure the ladder is on a secure and level footing before climbing.
- Space the base of the ladder one foot away from the wall for every four feet it reaches up.
- Stay centered between the rails of the ladder. Do not overreach to hang lights or decorations. Instead, move the ladder.
- Do not stand on the ladder’s top two rungs. And, overall, be sure to follow all your ladder’s safety instructions.
- To reach a roof, extend the ladder at least three feet beyond the edge of the roof.
- Use a handy hook, or some other extendable arm, to help with hard to reach places. You might be able to avoid using a ladder in some cases.
- Check out more tips for using a ladder here! One of our favorites: keep your shoes clean.
- Source,
Lowes Tips For Hanging Lights
- They offer design and safety tips in this instructional video
Electrical Outlets
- Do not use any decorations with damaged electrical cords.
- Do not use an extension cord in place of an outlet. Should you use an extension cord, make sure it sits outside of high traffic areas.
- Do not overload outlets or power strips. When plugging in multiple electronics into an outlet, first check the load capacity and make sure your appliances do not exceed it. Overloaded cords will become hot and could start a fire.
Holiday Lights
- Before hanging holiday lights, ALWAYS read the instructions.
- Indoor lights are not certified for outdoor use. Do not use indoor lights for outdoor decorations.
- Check pre-used lights for any cord damage – bare wires or broken sockets. Do not use damaged sets. Dispose of damaged sets immediately.
- Replace burnt bulbs with new bulbs. Do not leave a bulb socket exposed.
- Do not “string” together more than three standard-size light sets. LED lights can oftentimes string together up to 20 strands. Be sure to read the safety labels.
- Fasten lights securely when hanging. Do not place holiday lights along a metallic surface.
- Turn off lights and decorations before you go to bed, or use a timer.
- Try to use electronic candles instead of regular candles with an exposed flame. Should you use regular candles, do not leave candles unattended or around unsupervised children/pets. Keep all matches and lighters away from children.
