Holiday
decorating
Safety
Electrical safety tips for the holiday season.
It is easy to get caught up in the holidays. Whether
preparing to entertain guests, attempting to decorate
your home and property, or employing a budget-
conscious approach to holiday shopping, the intense
and time-sensitive demands brought on by the holiday
season can be all-consuming – often at the expense of
safety.
As the excitement of the season sets in with decorative
displays and festive celebrations, people are
inadvertently exposed to greater risk of becoming the
victim of a fire or electrical accident, such as shock
and electrocution.
The Electrical Safety Foundation International’s
(ESFI) annual Holiday Safety Series is a national
safety awareness campaign that offers a variety of
resources to help individuals and local communities
take steps to prevent the risk of electrical hazards
before, during, and after the holiday season.
An estimated 76% of
Americans reportedly
decorate their homes
during the holiday
season.
What is eSfi’s Holiday Safety The Electrical Safety Foundation informational materials and user-
campaign? International’s (ESFI) annual Holiday friendly resources to the public
Safety Campaign is a national electrical community.
The holiday season is a joyous time, safety awareness initiative is designed to
For additional information about
with displays ranging from simple illustrate the do’s and don’ts of holiday
the Electrical Safety Foundation
strands of lights to elaborate outdoor electrical safety, both indoors and
outside the home. International and the 2008 Holiday
displays.
Safety Campaign, please visit
Nearly 156,000 fires in the United ESFI’s electrical holiday safety resources www.electrical-safety.org or www.
States occur during the winter holiday are available on our holiday web site at holidaysafety.org.
season claiming nearly 630 lives, 2,600 http://www.holidaysafety.org. Unveiled
injuries, and $936 million in property just last year, this seasonal feature is
damage. dedicated exclusively to providing a
series of holiday safety fact sheets,
“Shocking” holiday Safety StatiSticS
• According to the CPSC, an average • The number of children killed or • 76% of Americans celebrate the
of 5,000 people visit the emergency injured by fires more than doubles holidays by decorating their homes.
room each holiday season due during the holiday months.
to indoor and outdoor electrical
decoration mishaps. • Though the majority of homeowners about eSfi
have smoke detectors, 24% have not
• Nearly 130,000 fires will be reported replaced the batteries within the last The Electrical Safety Foundation
in December alone, claiming over two years. International (ESFI) is dedicated
400 lives and causing more than
exclusively to promoting electrical safety.
1,600 injuries. • CPSC has recalled more than
one million counterfeit electrical ESFI is a 501(c)(3) organization funded by
• On December 31 and January 1 products in recent years, including electrical manufacturers and distributors,
alone, there are more than 200 circuit breakers that did not trip when independent testing laboratories, utilities,
fatalities and injuries on average overloaded, extension cords with safety and consumer groups, and trade
resulting from fire. wiring that overheated, and mobile and labor associations.
• Almost one-quarter of all Christmas phone batteries without the device to
ESFI sponsors National Electrical Safety
tree fires are started because the stop them from overcharging.
Month each May, and engages in public
tree was placed too close to a heat • Each year, holiday decorations and education campaigns and proactive
source. Christmas trees account for almost media relations to help reduce property
• Of those surveyed by ESFI, 66% 2,000 fires and cause more than $41 damage, personal injury and death
of homeowners expect to have to million in property damage. caused by electrical accidents.
use one or more extension cords to • Unattended cooking is the leading
bring power to outdoor decorations cause of fires in the United States.
this holiday season.
Safety tipS:
holiday lighting and decorationS
The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) urges you to follow these
important safety tips when decorating for the season:
• Carefully inspect each electrical decoration. Cracked or frayed sockets,
loose or bare wires, and loose connections may cause a serious shock or
start a fire.
• Follow the use and care instructions that accompany your electrical
decorations.
• Choose holiday decorations made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant or
non-combustible materials whenever possible.
• Use lights that are approved by an independent testing laboratory, such as
UL, CSA, or ETL.
• Stapling or nailing through light strings or electrical/extension cords may
damage the wire or insulation, which could lead to an electrical shock or
fire.
• Before using any light strings, animated displays, or other electrical products
outdoors, make sure the product is approved for outdoor use.
• Check packaging to determine the maximum number of strings that may
be linked together.
• When replacing a light bulb, make sure that the replacement bulb is of equal
or lesser wattage than that recommended by the manufacturer.
• Turn off all electrical light strings, candles, and decorations before leaving
home or going to bed. Automatic lighting timers are available for both
indoor and outdoor applications, and can be used to ensure that lights are
not left on.
• To reduce the chance of an electric shock, use a dry, wooden ladder when
hanging holiday lights and be sure to stay clear of overhead electrical
wires.
• Waterproof all electrical connections, and keep them elevated so that water
won’t drain into the connection and cause either short circuit or cause a
shock.
More than 20% of Americans
• For added electric shock protection, plug outdoor electric lights and
decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters do not turn off electrical holiday
(GFCIs). Portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where electrical
supplies are sold. GFCIs can be installed permanently to household circuits decorations before going to bed.
by a qualified electrician.
• Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other firm supports
to protect against wind damage. To hold light strings in place, use insulated
staples or run strings of lights through hooks (available at hardware
stores).
• 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
shocked.