Amidst the twinkling lights, tinsel, and brightly wrapped gifts that mark the holiday season lurks potential disaster. Risks and hazards increase during this time of year, and happy holiday memories can quickly turn sour. To help keep this holiday season packed with happy memories, IRC wanted to remind you of four areas of holiday safety concerns: fires, falls, festivities, and favorite toys. But because no list is all-inclusive, for those who want to learn more, we have included links to related Web sites. Know that it can happen to you, so stay alert and take precautions to remain safe through the holidays. Don’t become a statistic.
About 156,000 fires occur in the United States during the holiday season. The annual cost is 630 deaths, 2600 injuries, and $936 million in property damage. Primary causes of winter fires in homes, apartments, and other residential structures are holiday decorations, candles, and Christmas trees. Some of the lessons learned include:
- Live Christmas trees: buy fresh; cut a few inches off the trunk to promote water absorption; keep the tree watered
- Artificial Christmas trees: should be labeled as fire retardant; do not use electric lights (the tree can become charged with electricity and can electrocute a person who touches a branch)
- Decorations: use noncombustible or flame-resistant materials; check lights (new and old, indoor and outdoor) for bulbs not working, frayed wires, broken sockets, loose connections; use grounded plugs; hang outdoor lights with sockets pointed down to prevent water accumulation and shorts; turn off all lights when you are out of the room, going to bed, or leaving the house
- Candles and fireplaces: place Christmas trees, decorations, wrapped gifts, and wood stacks far from open flames; fully extinguish all open flames when the room will be vacant; supervise children and pets; do not place lighted candles on a tree or burn wrapping paper in a fireplace; before lighting a fireplace, remove all greens, papers, and other decorations
Turkey frying, a relatively new phenomenon in mainstream culinary delights, doesn’t seem to have made the holiday fire statistics yet. But anything that uses oil over an open flame is inherently unsafe. More than 112 fires or burns have been attributed to improper use of turkey fryers in the last 7 years. UL will not place its mark on turkey fryers because they are so dangerous, but the UL website lists turkey fryer hazards and safety information. The UL video (1:58 min) illustrates their stand on turkey fryers. See http://www.ul.com/global/eng/pages/offerings/perspectives/consumer/productsafety/turkeys/
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Whether cleaning rain gutters, making repairs, or hanging holiday decorations, autumn and winter months see an increase in injuries from falls. About 5800 people are treated in emergency centers each year during the holiday season (November 1 to January 31) for fall-related injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
In 2002, the CDC conducted the first study ever to analyze injuries associated with holiday decorating. But the numbers probably are low considering two limitations of the study: only emergency room visits were included (excluding people who did not seek medical care or went to a private physician) and the information does not include long-term outcomes such as limitations to a person’s mobility and need for surgery or rehabilitation.
Before you say, “It won’t happen to me,” consider this. Men are more likely than women to incur holiday season fall-related injuries. More than half (62%) of such injuries are among young and middle-aged adults, compared to about one-third (30%) the rest of the year. Twelve percent (12%) are hospitalized from holiday falls compared to 9% annually. Not surprisingly, falls from ladders account for almost half of all fractures treated in emergency rooms during the holidays.
Some of the lessons learned include:
- Uses safe alternatives when hanging decorations (e.g., stand on a step stool instead of furniture)
- Know how to use a ladder safely; practice ladder safety http://www.ohsu.edu/news/archive/2001/112801ladder.html
- Inspect any ladder before use to ensure it is in good repair before use
- Use the buddy system—one person on the ground to stabilize the ladder and, if an accident happens, to give aid or to call for help
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Dancing with a lampshade on your head? Speaking more loudly than necessary? The room is moving but you’re not? One for the road, perhaps?
Between Thanksgiving and New Years Day each year, about 4000 people in the U.S. die in car accidents mostly the result of driver fatigue, speeding, and cell phone use. Drinking-related crashes account for 1000 deaths in the same period. Compared to annual totals, of the 41,059 traffic fatalities in 2007, 12,998 (31.7%) were related to alcohol-impaired driving.
Holiday parties can be fun without a focus on alcohol. Dangers are lower—fewer drunk drivers on the road, fewer DUIs—and legal liabilities of the host company or individual decrease. But, if serving or consuming alcohol at holiday parties or other events, make sensible choices. Likewise, when preparing foods, follow time-tested steps to prevent food poisoning.
Some lessons learned include:
- When preparing foods, wash hands and utensils often, avoid cross-contamination of raw meats with read-to-eat-foods, cook foods (especially meats) thoroughly, and store leftovers promptly
- Make non-alcoholic beverages available
- Use a non-carbonated base in punches; carbonation accelerates the absorption of alcohol in the bloodstream
- Do not allow guests to mix their own drinks—hire a professional bartender or, if you are serving, use a shot glass to measure mixed drinks; use small wine glasses to control serving size
- Last call: Stop serving alcohol one hour before the party ends; only time (not coffee) brings sobriety—about one hour to metabolize each drink
- Do not allow anyone to drive who is obviously intoxicated; provide alternate transportation or sleeping accommodations
- If you are the guest, space out your drinks (do not overindulge); accept offers of transportation or accommodations
If you bring a child to a party, stay alert—the house might not be child-proof.
After the party, clean up immediately, especially if children or pets are in the house. They might be up early the next day and, while unattended, might be injured or choke on food.
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It’s 1940 in the movie classic A Christmas Story. Ralphie is nine years old and for Christmas he wants a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-Shot, Range Model Air Rifle. His mother, and every other adult he meets, objects, saying “You’ll shoot your eye out.” That’s the movie’s mantra—“You’ll shoot your eye out.” Maybe Ralphie’s mom was right. Nearly 8300 children were seen in hospital emergency rooms in 2003 for treatment of injuries from non-powder guns (BB guns or pellet guns). And the Consumer Product Safety Alert warns that BB guns can kill a person (see http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5089.pdf ).
Every year we hear toy warnings and recalls. As adults, we must make sensible choices for the children, train them, and supervise their play as best we can.
Luckily the research of many consumer watchdogs helps.
The 24th annual Trouble in Toyland report was just released by the U.S. Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG) (see http://www.uspirg.org/issues/toy-safety). The list includes a dinosaur toy that emits 90 dB of sound exceeding the maximum recommended by 85 dB, a cloth child's book that contains lead, and a girl's plastic purse that contains potentially toxic chemicals. The report includes a table of toy-related deaths from 1990 to 2008—one is too many. The PIRG Website also has a feature to sign up for toy safety alerts. November 24 PIRG launched an interactive mobile phone tool and website to allow shoppers to check on possible toy hazards while at the store, before going shopping, or report hazards they find.
Still, common sense must prevail. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests:
- Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the intended child; toys too advanced may pose safety hazards for younger children;
- Before buying a toy or allowing your child to play with a toy that he has received as a gift, read the instructions carefully
- To prevent both burns and electrical shocks, don’t give young children (under age ten) a toy that must be plugged into an electrical outlet. Instead, buy toys that are battery-operated
- Children under age three can choke on small parts contained in toys or games. Government regulations specify that toys for children under age three cannot have parts less than 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 2 1/4 inches long
- Children can have serious stomach and intestinal problems—including death—after swallowing button batteries and magnets. Keep them away from young children and call your health care provider immediately if your child swallows one
- Children under age 8 can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons. Remove strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to young children
- Watch for pull toys with strings that are more than 12 inches in length. They could be a strangulation hazard for babies.
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References
Fires
Falls
Festivities
Favorite Toys
Other Resources
Photo Credits
Underwriters Laboratories and National Institute of Standards and Technology
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