The Newest Dangers to Watch Out for This Season Are Christmas Decorations?
They may look like innocent reflections of the festive holiday season but if you’re not careful, you’ll be seeing a lot more red than green at Christmas.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) issued an alarming study that found that accidents caused by holiday decorations went from 10,000 cases in 2007 to more than 13,000 in 2010.
The injuries stemmed from falls while hanging Christmas lights, broken glass ornaments and other “holiday-related injuries.”
The study didn’t include accidents caused by Christmas tree and candle fires since they were surprisingly down, even though they caused an annual average of four deaths and $18 million in property damage between 2006 and 2008.
The CSPC issued several safety tips to keep decorations and trees from causing injuries or property damage. Some of their tricks include buying live trees or “fire resistant” fake trees and keeping them away from heat sources; keeping burning candles within sight and on stable, heat-resistant surfaces; and using thoroughly tested Christmas lights with proper extension cords and certifying that they can be used outdoors.
[CPSC]