NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs |
Washington, DC 20207 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
December 5, 2000 |
CPSC CONTACT: Ken Giles |
Release # 01-046 |
(301) 504-0580 Ext. 1184 |
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CPSC Releases Holiday Safety Tips for Avoiding Fires and Injuries
WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the holidays approach, the U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging people to look for and eliminate
potential dangers from holiday lights and decorations that could lead to
fires and injuries.
Each year, hospital emergency rooms treat about 8,700 people for
injuries, such as falls, cuts and shocks, related to holiday lights,
decorations and Christmas trees. In addition, Christmas trees are
involved in about 400 fires annually, resulting in 20 deaths, 70
injuries and an average of more than $15 million in property loss and
damage.
CPSC conducts surveillance of holiday lights and decorations at stores
nationwide, and this year has prevented the import of 320,398 units of
holiday lights that did not meet safety standards.
"Candle lighting ceremonies during Advent, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are
beautiful traditions," said CPSC Chairman Ann Brown. "But keep
matches, lighters and candles away from children and never leave burning
candles unattended. These simple safety tips will help prevent many of
the 10,000 candle-related fires that occur each year. Stay safe this
holiday season; it's the best gift you can give."
CPSC suggests following these tips to make your holiday a safe one.
Trees:
- When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label "Fire
Resistant." Although this label does not mean the tree won't
catch fire, it does indicate the tree will resist burning and should
extinguish quickly.
- When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is
green, needles are hard to pull from branches and when bent between
your fingers, needles do not break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree
is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should
not lose many needles.
- When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and
radiators. Because heated rooms dry live trees out rapidly, be sure
to keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way
of traffic and do not block doorways.
Lights:
- Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for
safety by a recognized testing laboratory, which indicates
conformance with safety standards.
- Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked
sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections, and throw out
damaged sets.
- Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single
extension cord.
- Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become
charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a
branch could be electrocuted.
- Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have
been certified for outdoor use.
- Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other
firm supports to protect the lights from wind damage. Use only
insulated staples to hold strings in place, not nails or tacks. Or,
run strings of lights through hooks (available at hardware stores).
- Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The
lights could short out and start a fire.
- For added electric shock protection, plug outdoor electric lights
and decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit
interrupters (GFCIs). Portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where
electrical supplies are sold. GFCIs can be installed permanently to
household circuits by a qualified electrician.
Decorations:
- Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a
tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded
metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.
- Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens.
Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will
not be knocked down.
- In homes with small children, take special care to avoid
decorations that are sharp or breakable, keep trimmings with small
removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid the child
swallowing or inhaling small pieces, and avoid trimmings that
resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.
- Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with
spun glass "angel hair." Follow container directions
carefully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with artificial
snow sprays.
Fireplaces:
- Use care with "fire salts," which produce colored flames
when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause
intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten. Keep them
away from children.
- Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may
result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.
You can also view CPSC's publication Holiday
Decoration Safety Tips.
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