Season’s Greetings from Kasa Consulting!
The holiday season is a wonderful time for family, fun, and celebrations. However, it’s also a time when
accidents, fires, and injuries tend to increase. To make sure your holidays stay merry and bright, it’s
important to stay mindful of safety. Whether you’re celebrating at home or in the office, we’ve compiled
some helpful tips to help keep you, your loved ones, and your colleagues safe this holiday season.
1. Get Your Space Ready for Safety
Before you dive into the holiday fun, ensure your home or workplace is ready for any emergency:
- Carbon Monoxide Detectors & Smoke Alarms: Test these devices to make sure they’re in working order. Replace batteries if needed, and make sure alarms are placed in key areas such as hallways, bedrooms, and on every floor of your home.
- Fire Extinguisher & First Aid Kit: Keep these accessible and fully stocked, especially in the kitchen and near any fireplaces.
- Know Your Exits: Whether celebrating in your home or somewhere else, make sure you know where the fire alarms and emergency exits are so you’re familiar with escape routes. Keep pathways clear and accessible, especially for those with mobility challenges.
2. Have an Emergency Plan
Emergencies can happen anytime, so it’s best to be prepared:
- Communication Plan: Discuss how you’ll contact each other if you’re separated during an emergency. Make sure children know how to reach this contact even if it’s not on a contact list.
- Meeting Spot: Agree on a safe location where your group will meet in case you get separated. This ensures that, even if the house is unsafe, you can quickly regroup.
- Practice: Run through your plan so everyone knows what to do when it counts.
3. Decorate Safely
While decorations add to the magic of many holiday traditions, they can also bring fire risks if not handled properly:
- Candles:
- Never leave burning candles unattended and always keep candles at least 1 meter away from anything flammable.
- Ensure candle displays are placed on a stable and heat-resistant surface
- Trim wicks to around 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) to prevent uneven burning and to reduce fire hazards.
- Consider flameless or electric candles as a safer alternative, especially around children and pets.
- Tree Safety:
- Live Trees: Ensure they are fresh (needles shouldn’t fall off easily). Water your tree daily, and keep it away from heat sources like radiators and fireplaces.
- Artificial Trees: Choose fire-resistant trees and decorations.
- Don’t use angel hair (glass wool) together with spray-on snowflakes. This combination is very combustible.
- Lights:
- Only use lights with a certification like CSA or cUL.
- Check for damaged wires, frayed cords, or loose connections before use.o Turn off lights when leaving your home or going to bed to prevent overheating.
- Use Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) for outdoor lighting to reduce the risk of shock.
- Avoid using extension cords through doors or under carpets.
- Never use nails, tacks, or staples to hang cords and lights. They can damage the insulation on the outside of the wire and create corrosion or a short circuit.
- Firecrackers and fireworks are common in many cultural celebrations during the holiday season. Always follow local safety guidelines for fireworks, and never light them indoors
4. Ladder Safety When Decorating
If you’re hanging decorations or lights, take care when using ladders:
- Use a Stable Ladder: Ensure the ladder is on level ground with firm footing. Never use a ladder on uneven surfaces.
- Three-Point Contact: Always maintain at least three points of contact (two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand) on the ladder.
- Don’t Overreach: Move the ladder instead of stretching too far – reaching too far can destabilize the ladder and make you fall.
5. Winter Weather Driving
Winter weather can be unpredictable, so it’s important to stay prepared. Here are some tips to help you stay safe on the road:
- Watch Out for Impaired Drivers: During the holiday season, there’s often an increase in impaired driving due to parties and alcohol consumption. Be extra careful on the roads, especially late at night or in the early morning hours. If you think another driver is impaired, avoid them and contact local authorities.
- Drive Defensively and Be Alert: Snow, ice, and freezing rain can make roads dangerous in an instant. Even if the roads look clear, slow down and be extra cautious. Bridges and overpasses freeze first, so be especially careful around those. With holiday traffic and distracted drivers, always expect the unexpected.
- Keep Your Distance: Leave extra space between you and the car in front of you. It takes longer to stop in winter weather, so a safe following distance will give you more time to react if something goes wrong. Also, holiday traffic can get heavy, so be patient and avoid risky moves like tailgating or cutting people off.
- Check Your Vehicle: Before hitting the road, make sure your car is ready for winter driving. Install winter tires, check fluid levels, and ensure your wiper blades are functioning properly. Always clear snow and ice from your vehicle before driving, including the roof, windshield, windows, headlights, and taillights. This helps you see and be seen.
- Pack Emergency Supplies: Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle. This should include essentials like blankets, a flashlight, water, snacks, jumper cables, and a first-aid kit. Let someone know your route and estimated arrival time, especially if you’re traveling long distances or through unfamiliar areas.
6. Alcohol and Office Parties: Stay Safe
Office holiday parties are a fun way to celebrate, but it’s important to drink responsibly and stay safe.
Here are a few tips to help you enjoy the party without going overboard:
- Designated Drivers: Always have a designated driver or use ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft if you’re drinking. Do not get behind the wheel after drinking.
- Limit Alcohol Intake: It’s easy to get caught up in the festivities, but it’s important to drink at a pace that keeps you in control. Set a limit for yourself and stick to it. Remember, alcohol impairs judgment and motor skills.
- Eat While Drinking: Ensure you have something to eat if you’re drinking alcohol. This helps slow alcohol absorption and can reduce its effects. This will help you stay more in control and avoid overdoing it.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink water alongside alcoholic beverages to stay hydrated and help avoid unwanted feelings of sickness
- Monitor Your Behavior: If you’re attending an office party, remember that your actions reflect on you and your company. Maintain professionalism, even when alcohol is involved. Avoid too much drinking, inappropriate conversations, or anything that might be awkward the next day. Company parties where alcohol is present is a time when the highest instance of harassment occurs in the workplace. Be mindful of your behaviour and remember to respect others and their boundaries.
By following these simple safety tips, you can enjoy a joyful and stress-free holiday season. From all of us at Kasa Consulting, we wish you a safe, healthy, and memorable holiday season!
Happy and Safe Holidays!
For more safety tips, references and guidelines, visit these links below: