The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes decorations, additional cooking, and an increased number of visitors. With everything going on, it is critical that all employees keep an eye out for potential safety hazards. To help, OPWDD’s Office of Safety and Security Services has compiled this holiday season alert that will help make the season fun and safe:
Tree Safety: Real trees should NOT be used in OPWDD homes or buildings. When setting up your artificial tree, make sure it is at least three feet away from any heat source, including heating units, radiators, heat vents, or lights. Also, please make sure that the tree is in no way blocking any exit. Use lights that have an independent testing laboratory label on them, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Additionally:
• Remember: some lights are specifically for indoor or outdoor use.
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections.
• Connect no more than three strands of mini string light sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in type bulbs.
• Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of LED strands to connect.
• Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.
Decorations: Be very careful with holiday decorations. Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant. Candles are NOT permitted for use in OPWDD homes or buildings.
Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so cords do not get damaged. Use multiple outlets for holiday lights and avoid overloading the circuit. Additionally:
• Exterior lighting should only be plugged into a ground fault interrupter (GFI) receptacle.
• Keep decorations away from windows and doors.
• Use only an approved, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listed cord or power strip with overload protection.
• Never plug one power strip cord into another. This is known as “piggybacking” and it will negate the overload protection and cause an electrical overdraw to occur in the outlet.
• Never run electric cords under carpets. The cord is designed to vent heat from the insulated wiring to prevent heat build-up. Rugs act as an additional insulator, trapping the heat and causing a fire.
Entertaining: As a reminder, everyone must follow the smoking policy in OPWDD certified homes or buildings, including holiday guests. Those who smoke should be asked to do so only in safely designated locations. Remind smokers that they must keep their smoking materials with them at all times. Remain in the kitchen while anything is cooking on the stovetop.
Remember to keep entrances and exits easily accessible and safe for use in the event of an emergency.
These are just a few safety tips and reminders for the holiday season. For additional tips, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/family/holiday.
Have a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season!