Commission Cautions Consumers With Holiday Decor Safety

November 29th, 2009 • Related • Filed Under • by tisha

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission is issuing warnings to consumers who are gearing up for holiday decorating. While there are many new types of gadgets to decorate homes, incidents like fires and falls are still a big concern. No product is completely safe and consumers are cautioned to ensure that safety is still the main concern this holiday season.

Each year, more than 12,000 people are treated for decorating-related injuries including falls, burns, and shocks. In addition to the physical injuries people sustain while hanging lights or putting up trees, there are also close to 12,000 house fires that occur each year. These fires result in more than 150 deaths, 1200 injuries, and property loss in the millions of dollars. Improperly plugged lights, extension cords, and overloaded electrical sockets can easily cause electrical damage, resulting in a fast-moving fire.

Christmas trees are the cause of additional hundreds of cases of fires in the home. Overloaded circuits or allowing a real Christmas tree to dry out, can cause a fire rather rapidly. Consumers are cautioned to water their trees often and be sure that electrical outlets are properly maintained. Families that use candles for decorationare also at increased risk for fires, injuries or death. Firefighters warn that it only takes a small flame to ignite a full-fledged fire and it is a better alternative to use electrical or battery operated candles in the home. If candles are burning, make sure that there is always supervision and keep small children away from both the candles and the electrical outlets.

Experts also warn consumers during the colder winter months to ensure that space heaters are not too close to walls or furniture, which can easily erupt into a house fire. Homeowners are being encouraged to have their home heating units checked and cleaned before the start of the colder weather. Additionally, those homes that have fireplaces should also have the chimney inspected and cleaned before lighting fireplaces.

With the chaos of the holiday shopping season and the added difficulties many families are experiencing during the recession, it can be easy to forget to make safety a priority. Families that are not able to afford oil or coal to heat their homes are cautioned to choose a quality space heater and position it safely, away from flammable objects and out of reach of small children. Aid for utility bills such as heating costs may be available through community or federal outreach programs.