Guest Author - Paula Petrie

The CPSC want us to consider that although holiday decorating is often depicted in movies by characters who suffer falls from ladders or rooftops for comic effect, these incidents are grounded in reality and are no laughing matter.

To respect and acknowledge the suffering of others this holiday season, we should start with caution ourselves.

"Holiday decorating incidents most often involve faulty holiday lights,
candles and dried-out Christmas trees," said Acting CPSC Chairman Nancy
Nord.

There are about 300 Christmas trees fires annually. This results
in an average of 20 deaths, 40 injuries and about $8 million in property
damage and loss.

Each year it is estimated that about 12,500 people go to hospital emergency rooms for falls, cuts, shocks and burns related to holiday decorating, according to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission statistics.

There are nearly 15,000 candle-related fires each year, which result in an average of 170 deaths and $327 million in property loss.

The CPSC would like us to use the following safety tips when decorating this year

Trees and Decorations

When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label "Fire Resistant."
Although this label does not mean the tree won't catch fire, it does
indicate the tree is more resistant to burning.

When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green,
needles are hard to pull from branches and do not break when bent
between your fingers. The bottom of a fresh tree is sticky with resin,
and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.

When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and
radiators. Because heated rooms dry out live trees rapidly, be sure to
keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of
traffic, and do not block doorways.

Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree.
Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals.
Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.

In homes with small children, take special care to avoid sharp or
breakable decorations, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of
the reach of children who could swallow or inhale small pieces, and
avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to
eat them.

To avoid eye and skin irritation, wear gloves when decorating with spun
glass "angel hair."

To avoid lung irritation, follow container directions carefully while
decorating with artificial snow sprays.

Lights

Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by
a nationally-recognized testing laboratory, such as UL or ETL/ITSNA. Use
only newer lights that have thicker wiring and are required to have
safety fuses to prevent the wires from overheating.

Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets,
frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Throw out damaged sets.

If using an extension cord, make sure it is rated for the intended use.

Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become
charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a
branch could be electrocuted.

When using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been
certified for outdoor use and plug them into only ground-fault circuit
interrupter (GFCI) protected receptacles.

Turn off all holiday lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The
lights could short out and start a fire.

Candles

Keep burning candles within sight.

Keep lighted candles away from items that can burn easily, such as
trees, other evergreens, decorations, curtains and furniture.

Always use non-flammable holders and keep away from children and pets.

Extinguish all candles before you go to bed or leave the house.

Fireplaces

Use care with "fire salts," which produce colored flames when thrown on
wood fires. They contain heavy metals that, if eaten, can cause intense
gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting. Keep them away from children.

Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. Wrappings can ignite
suddenly and burn intensely, resulting in a flash fire.

Place a screen around your fireplace to prevent sparks from igniting
nearby flammable materials.