Avoiding accidents and injuries this holiday season

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The holiday season offers the opportunity for family and friends to come together in celebration. A trip to hospital or a call to the fire department should not become part of your holiday tradition, but accidents and serious injuries increase at this time of year according to reports from hospital trauma centers across Canada. Keeping yourself and your guests safe while enjoying holiday festivities takes a little planning and a few precautions.

Holiday lights

Brightly colored lights that twinkle and shine seem to be everywhere during the holidays, but you need to ensure the ones lighting up your home are safe and that you take precautions when setting them up. Here are a few steps to take to avoid holiday lighting mishaps:

• Use only lights sold with a tag indicating they have been tested by one of the accredited certification agencies in Canada.
• Use only lights that are certified for outdoor applications for decorating the exterior of your home.
• Old sets of lights should be inspected and replaced if there are frayed wires, loose connections or broken sockets.
• Do not overload electrical outlets by plugging in multiple light sets. When in doubt about how many holiday light sets and other decorations you can safely plug into an outlet, check with an electrician to make certain it will not create a risk of fire.
• Never attach lights to metallic trees or poles. This could create a risk of electrocution.
• Do not run extension cords or other wiring across paths or walkways inside or outside your home where they may create a tripping risk.

Lights hung along the roof of your home or high up in trees in the yard add a festive touch, but ask someone else to hang them if you do not feel secure climbing a ladder. If you decide to do your own decorating, position the ladder so it is on a stable surface before climbing, and do not lean to the side to reach. This could cause you to fall from the ladder. Instead, reposition the ladder so you are working without reaching and leaning to the side.

Avoid holiday fire hazards

Fresh Christmas trees may become fire hazards if allowed to dry out. Position the tree away from sources of heat or open flames, such as stoves, radiators and fireplaces. Before setting up the tree, remove at least two inches of the trunk before setting it into a stand capable of holding water, and make certain you check the water level throughout the holidays to ensure there is sufficient water to prevent the tree from drying out.

Candles add a traditional touch to the holidays, but they are a fire hazard. Keep them away from curtains and other flammable materials. Better yet, don’t use real candles at all. There are battery powered candles that look like the real thing without creating a risk of starting a fire.

Ontario personal injury lawyers

A few precautions can help keep you and your loved ones safe during the holidays, but if there is an accident, the personal injury lawyers at Diamond & Diamond have years of experience successfully handling claims for compensation by people injured through the negligence of others. If you suffer an injury and need to file a claim, you should speak to one of our lawyers. Call the Diamond & Diamond 24/7 injury hotline at 1-800-567-HURT or visit our website to speak to someone now. We offer free consultations and case evaluations to injury victims throughout Ontario.