Holiday Safety Tips

Thanksgiving Tips:
• Start holiday cooking with a clean stove and oven.
• Keep kitchen clutter and loose clothing away from the stove's heat.
• Turn pot handles in, away from a child's reach.
• Use pot holders to prevent burns.
• Never throw water on a grease fire. Instead, cover the burning pan with a lid.
• Keep all appliances in good working order.
• Never overload electrical outlets. Unplug appliances when not in use.
• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Keep Thanksgiving decorations away from sources of direct heat.
• Make sure your fire extinguisher is properly located and operable.

Christmas Tree Safety:
• A real tree should not lose green needles when you tap it on the ground.
• Cut 1 or more inches off the trunk to help absorb water.
• Leave the tree standing up-right outside until ready to decorate.
• The stand should hold at least 1 gal. of water.
• A 6' tree will use 1 gallon of water every two days.
• Mix a commercial preservative with the water.
• Check the water level every day.
• Secure the tree with wire to keep it from tipping.
• Keep tree away from floor heaters, fire places, or other heat sources.
• Use only UL-approved lights, and no more than 3 strands linked together.
• Use miniature lights--which have cool-burning bulbs.
• Turn off the Christmas tree lights when you sleep, or if you leave your home for very long.
• Never use candles, even on artificial trees.
• Clean the tree stand to improve the tree's water intake. Use one capful of bleach to a cup of water.
• Dispose of the tree properly. Never burn in a fireplace.

Home Safety:
• Use only outdoor lights outside your home.
• Examine light strings each year, discard worn ones. Lights are very inexpensive these days and danger is needless.
• Fasten the bulbs securely and point the sockets downward to avoid moisture build up.
• Connect no more than three strands together.
• Never use indoor extension cords outside.
• Avoid overloading wall outlets and extension cords.
• Keep outdoor electrical connectors above ground and out of out of puddles and snow.
• Always turn all of your Christmas lights off when leaving your home and when retiring for the night.
• Unplug light string before replacing a bulb. Check package to verify proper wattage and voltage.
• On metallic trees, always use colored spotlights. Do not use electric lights.
• Make sure that outdoor trees hung with Christmas lights do not touch power lines.
• Candles are beautiful, but make sure that they are a safe distance from anything flammable.
• When connecting light strands outdoors, wrap a plastic bag around the connections and tie the ends of the bag with waterproof Teflon tape.
• Put candles in fireproof holders. Glass candlesticks can break if the candle burns too low.
• Always extinguish candles and tree lights before retiring for the evening, or when leaving the house.
• Place your fireplace ashes in a metal container and dispose of once thoroughly cooled.
• After a party, always check for lit and forgotten cigarettes in your furniture cushions.
• Install at least one carbon monoxide detector in your home.
• Make sure your fire extinguisher is inspected and working properly.

Toy Safety
Follow recommended age ranges on toy packages. Toys that are too advanced could be a safety hazard for younger children.
Before buying a toy or allowing your child to play with a toy that he has received as a gift, read the instructions carefully. If the toy is appropriate for your child, show him how to use it properly.
Be careful of holiday gift wrapping, like bags, paper, ribbons and bows. These items can pose suffocation and choking hazards to a small child.
To prevent both burns and electrical shocks, don't give young children (under age ten) a toy that must be plugged into an electrical outlet. Instead, buy toys that are battery-operated.
Children under age three can choke on small parts contained in toys or games. Government regulations specify that toys for children under age three cannot have parts less than 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 2 1/4 inches long.
Children under age 8 can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons. Remove strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to young children.
Watch for pull toys with strings that are more than 12 inches in length. They could be a strangulation hazard for babies.

Copyright © 2004, Allegheny County Housing Authority, All Rights Reserved.