HOLIDAY

The following advised can help make your holiday a safe one.
General:
· Keep matches, lighters, and candles out of the reach of children.
· Avoid smoking near flammable decorations.
· Make an emergency plan to use if a fire breaks out anywhere in the home. See that each family member knows what to do. PRACTICE THE PLAN!
· Avoid wearing loose flowing clothes - particularly long, open sleeves - near open flames - such as those of a fireplace, stove, or candlelit table.
· Never burn candles near evergreens or leave burning candles unattended.
· Route electrical cords properly to avoid tripping hazards.
· Plan for safety. Look for and eliminate potential danger spots near candles, fire-places, trees, and/or electrical connections. Make sure your fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are in good working order.

Trees:
· When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label "Fire Resistant." Although this label does not mean the tree won't catch fire, it does indicate the tree will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.
· nbsp; When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and when bent between your fingers, needles do not break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
· When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Cut off about two inches of the trunk to expose fresh wood for better water absorption and keep stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.
· Use thin guy-wires to secure a large tree to walls or ceiling. These wires are almost invisible.

Lights:
· Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory (i.e. UL), which indicates conformance with safety standards.
· Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections, and throw out damaged sets.
· Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord and be sure that the total load does not exceed rated capacities (standard household circuits are 15 amps).
· 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 electrocuted.
· Keep "bubbling" lights away from children. These lights with their bright colors and bubbling movement can tempt curious children to break the candle-shaped glass, which can cut, and possibly drink the liquid, which contains a hazardous chemical.
· Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.
· Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other firm supports to protect the lights from wind damage. Use only insulated staples/clips to hold strings in place, not nails or tacks. Or, run strings of lights through hooks (available at hardware stores).
· Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.
· For added electric shock protection, plug outdoor electric lights and decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). Portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where electrical supplies are sold. GFCIs if not already present, can be installed permanently to household circuits by a qualified electrician.

Decorations:
· Remember to inspect and use the proper ladder for the job. Extension ladders should extend 3 feet above the roofline and be pitched at about 4:1. Do not climb on to the very top of stepladders.
· Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested (especially by children).
· Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.
· In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid the child swallowing or inhaling small pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.
· Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with spun glass "angel hair." Follow container directions carefully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with artificial snow sprays.

Fireplaces:
· Use care with "fire sats," which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten. Keep them away from children.
· Do not burn evergreens or wrapping papers in the fireplace. Dry evergreens and wrapping papers can flare out of control, and send sparks fly into a room, or up the chimney to ignite creosote deposits.
· Keep a screen in front of the fireplace all the time a fire is burning.
Burning evergreens in the fireplace can also be hazardous. When dry, greens burn like tinder.

Shopping:
· Do not put packages into your vehicle (trunk or back seat) and then return to a store/mall. Criminals often watch for this opportunity. If you must, at least drive to another parking area before returning. Preferably, put your excess bags in a locker, use a cart, or ask stores to hold packages until you are ready to leave.
· Keep packages hidden in the trunk when you go from one store to the next. Lock your doors, even if leaving for only a moment.
· Do not throw away credit cad receipts. They can be stolen and your number lifted. Do not ever leave your purse or wallet unattended �“ even when trying on clothes.
· Do not have your arms completely filled when going to your car, keep one hand free �“ especially if it’s dark and few people are around. Pull your vehicle up to the entrance to load your bags if you have too much to carry

*HAPPY HOLIDAY*

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PROTECT YOUR HEALTH WITH STILL WORKING SAFELY THEN KEEP YOU’RE CLEAR ENVIRONMENT AREAS