#12daysofsafety: Check the Halls for Christmas Safety

The holidays are a special time of year when family and friends come together to make memories that will last a lifetime. Unfortunately, not everyone’s memories will be happy.

Every year, while most of us celebrate with food, laughter and loved ones, tragedy strikes thousands of families as they prepare for the holidays. On average, 200 families will lose their homes each year after their Christmas tree catches fire, usually due to exposed or frayed wiring on their Christmas lights.

Approximately 14,000 injuries related to the holidays were reported between November and December, 2015, which included everything from falling off of ladders and roofs while hanging holiday lights to choking on the Christmas pudding.

But here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to happen to you. Most of these accidents are preventable if we don’t get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season and remember a few basic tips.

All we want for Christmas is for everyone to enjoy a safe and healthy holiday season, so our gift to you is the #12daysofsafety! This campaign is different than the others we’ve worked with so far, because it doesn’t focus on the message of one particular organization. Since the holidays are about sharing joy and happiness, we chose a campaign that is shared amongst industries and organizations around the world.

This means that instead of sharing content regarding a specific holiday safety concern, we can share tips and tricks about every aspect of the holidays!

We’ll give you a couple to get you started:

• Keep your tree properly watered. In the event of a fire, a well watered tree will burn slower and allow you time to either put out the fire or get out of the house.
• Handle the bird with care. Don’t let food poisoning dampen your holidays. Make sure you practice good food safety and wash your hands frequently to avoid contamination.
• Use safe ladder practices. Using the right ladder properly will allow you to focus on getting your decorations up without worrying about falling down.
• Don’t drink and drive. The number of impaired driving accidents skyrockets between Thanksgiving and New Years. Call a friend, book a cab or grab an Uber if you plan on enjoying the holiday spirits. 

Over the next month we will be sharing content from fire departments, OHS organizations, and culinary experts. From safely decorating your home to properly handling that Christmas bird, we have all the information you need to have a safe and healthy holiday season.

Keeping with the festive theme, we wanted the content to stand out, so we have selected a series of infographics that each provide not one, not two, but 12 fun and useful pieces of information that will allow you to create those happy holiday memories for many years to come.

 From all of us at SafetySync, Happy Holidays!!