Avoid a Holiday Accident & Injury with these 11 Holiday Safety Tips

The holidays can be a season for giving, celebrating and spending time with loved ones. They can also be a time when people decorate their homes and put up trees – and this part of holiday festivities can present some specific hazards, especially for those who are not prepared to mitigate these risks with the right safety planning and practices.

How to Prevent Holiday Accidents & Injuries

Avoid a Holiday Accident with these 11 Safety Tips

To help you avoid a holiday accident or injuries this year – and to ensure your loved ones are able to safely enjoy the holidays, here are some essential safety tips to keep in mind this (and every) holiday season:

1. Putting up or taking down holiday decorations: Hanging and taking down holiday decorations sends more than 15,000 Americans to ERs each year. To safely decorate this year:

   • Know your physical limitations, and get help hanging elevated decorations if you have balance, mobility and/or vision issues.

   • Practice ladder safety if you will be climbing a ladder. In other words, place ladders firmly on the ground, away from doorways, and always keep at least three points of contact with the ladder at all times.

   • Avoid decorating with flammable or potentially hazards items, like candles.

2. Christmas tree safety: Each year in the U.S., fire fighters respond to at least 200 calls regarding home fires caused by Christmas trees. To reduce your risk of a Christmas tree fire:

   • Don’t buy a tree that is already dried out (as evidenced by a fading color and loose/falling needles).

   • Don’t place your tree by a fireplace, furnace or any heating source, as this can accelerate the rate at which your tree dries out.

   • Keep trees watered, checking the water levels every few days and replenishing them as needed.

   • If you do not want to deal with maintaining a Christmas tree (or want to truly minimize your risk of a Christmas tree fire) consider getting an artificial tree.

3. Gift safety for children: More than 183,000 toy-related injuries are reported each year in the U.S., with the vast majority of those injured being children. To avoid harming a child with a toy or gift this holiday season:

   • Only get age-appropriate gifts for children. Consult the manufacturer’s guidelines on toy packaging to verify appropriate age ranges.

   • Don’t give children under 5 toys that include small parts, balloons and magnets (these items can be swallowed and have the potential to cause life-threatening injuries).

   • Give safety equipment when feasible (such as when giving sporting goods to children).

   • Inspect toys before giving them to children, and if assembly is required (including just putting in batteries), make sure to this before letting children play with the toys.

Contact a Denver Personal Injury Lawyer at the Law Office of James H. Guest, LLC

If you or a loved one has been injured by negligence, contact a Denver personal injury lawyer at the Law Office of James H. Guest, LLC for help with your financial recovery.

Contact us by calling or by emailing us via the contact page. We offer free initial consultations, and there is no fee for our services if there is no recovery in your case.