Safety Tidbit 5.07 - Holiday Lights

Safety Tidbit 5.07 – Holiday Lights

Reference:       NFPA Winter Holiday Fire Facts

                        Energy Today Blog

This Safety Tidbit was written by one of my students, Kenna Willson-Kerns – a senior in the Safety Sciences Program at the Indiana University of PA.

With the holiday season fast approaching, homes, streets, and stores will be illuminated by string lights and other extravagant decorations. Along with the joy that these decorations bring, they come hand-in-hand with safety hazards. 

The majority of homeowners, during the holiday season, work to achieve a festive ascetic outdoors. This task typically requires the use of a portable ladder to hang lights and other decorations. While decorating, people primarily focus on getting the job done, and ladder safety gets pushed to the back of their mind. It isn't uncommon to see someone climbing a ladder with their hands full of lights, barely able to grasp the ladder. The simple task of climbing a ladder can be fatal if executed improperly. When using a ladder, it is essential to:

• Inspect the ladder before use
• Maintain three points of contacts
• Identify possible electrical hazards 

These three simple tasks could help to prevent unnecessary fatalities during the holiday season. Using holiday decorations creates electrical overloading, another common hazard. An example is connecting multiple strands of string lights leading to electrical overloading of a circuit. The overloading then creates the potential for a fire to occur. To calculate how many lights can be on a loop, the equation watts=amps x volts should be used. Household outlets are 120 volts, and most homes have either 15-amp or 20-amp circuits. Substitute these numbers in the equation for the maximum wattage for a circuit. The equation gives the maximum wattage, so use something less so as not to overload your circuit. 

String lights are virtually a necessity when it comes to preparing for the holidays. People place them on Christmas trees, fireplaces, walls, windows, and various other locations. Though these lights make rooms feel more festive and in the holiday spirit, it is important not to leave them on (overnight and when unattended). Furthermore, pay attention to the surface the lights are on as they could overheat and create a fire hazard. According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), approximately 44% of home Christmas tree fires involved electrical distribution or lighting equipment. The dangers of string lights are real, and people need to be made more aware. With that, most hazards during the holiday season tend to be fire-related. Please spend a little time with your family reviewing fire emergencies and what to do. Being prepared is extremely important in assuring your family's safety in the event of a fire. 

Hope this helps to keep you and your family safe this holiday season! Hope this was helpful and thank you for reading my Safety Tidbits! Comments and questions are always welcome. ~ Bryan

P.S. If you have a new safety or health question, please let me know.