Christmas The 12 hazards of
It’s the most magical time of the year – and the most dangerous. Michele O’Connor helps you stay safe
Accidents in the home soar during the Christmas period. Of 2,000 people surveyed by National Accident Helpline, nearly half – 49 per cent – said they’d had an accident while preparing festive food. Dangers aren’t confined to the kitchen, either. One in 40 respondents had suffered an electric shock from badly wired Christmas lights, while one in 50 had tumbled out of the attic while getting down the festive decorations.
So avoid Christmas catastrophes and keep thoseYuletide woes at bay by following our guide to ELF and safety…
1 SLIPS AND TRIPS
“These are the most likely cause of accidents at Christmas,”says Ashley Martin, public health officer at the Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents (rospa.org.uk). Crowded houses, presents on the floor, discarded wrapping paper and slower reaction times caused by alcohol consumption can all lead to problems. STAY SAFE: Tidy up regularly, don’t leave things on the stairs and wipe up spills immediately.
2 CUTS
“It’s amazing how many people stab themselves by using inappropriate instruments in their eagerness to open presents,” says Ashley. And it’s not surprising that fingers sometimes get diced along with the carrots. STAY SAFE: Use the appropriate tool for the job – a saw to trim the Christmas tree, scissors to open plastic packaging and screwdrivers for screws. Give yourself enough time for food prep and never drink alcohol while cooking.
3 FALLS
Putting up decorations and outside lights, popping the fairy on top of the tree and retrieving presents from the loft are among the major causes of falls at Christmas.
STAY SAFE: Make sure ladders are stable and avoid over reaching. Before trying out that new bike, scooter or skateboard, ensure people are wearing the correct safety equipment.
4 BURNS AND SCALDS
The NHS burns services treated more than 15,000 patients for burns and scalds in 2017. Wrestling trays of hot fat is dangerous, and a cup of tea will severely scald a small child 15 minutes after it has been poured, warns Ashley.
STAY SAFE: Keep children out of the kitchen and turn saucepan handles inwards. Don’t walk around the house with hot drinks or leave them sitting on low tables.
5 FIRES
There were 95 house fires each day in December, according to statistics for 2017-18.“Candles are usually the biggest cause of fires at Christmas,” warns Ashley.
STAY SAFE: Never remove batteries from smoke alarms for use in toys. Ensure your alarms are in good working order and plan a family escape route. Keep candles away from trees, cards or combustible items and never overload electrical sockets or extension cords. Turn off Christmas tree and fairy lights at night or when leaving the house.
6 ELECTRIC SHOCKS
Check those Christmas lights – after
12 months packed away in the loft they may have become electrically unsafe. Between
1997 and 2010,
26 people in the UK died after watering their Christmas tree while the lights were switched on.
STAY SAFE: Replace your old Christmas lights with new ones. Read the safety instructions, check for any damage to cables or plugs and make sure your outdoors lights are made for external use. For added protection, install an RCD (residual current device) to interrupt the electricity supply in the event of a short-circuit.
7 CHOKING
The risks of children choking rises at Christmas. Fairy-light bulbs, small baubles and burst balloons can be easily swallowed, while small toy parts, counters and dice are often left lying around by older siblings.
STAY SAFE:
Make sure toys are age appropriate. Watch out for novelty baubles and buttons on clothing and bin burst balloons immediately. Hang small baubles on the higher out-ofreach branches.
8 BUTTON BATTERIES
“Also called coin batteries, these are extremely dangerous to children if swallowed and can be found in toys, remote controls, car keys and musical greetings cards,” warns Ashley.“The batteries can do serious damage to the gastrointestinal system and other internal organs.” If your child swallows a button battery, seek medical advice immediately. STAY SAFE: Make sure that powerdriven toys and small electronic devices have lockable battery compartments. Be extra vigilant with musical greeting cards, flameless candles and remote controls, as these do not have lockable compartments. Lock away spare batteries.
9 TRAVELLING
The odds of being in a car accident with a drink-driver rocket at Christmas. Drivers who cram Christmas trees into their cars, blocking their vision, also increase the risk of an accident, warn police. STAY SAFE: Stop, revive and survive is the message for drivers.Take a break from driving at least every two hours, says Ashley, and never drink and drive. Get your tree delivered or, if you must drive it home, ensure it doesn’t block your lines of sight.
10 EYE INJURIES
Champagne corks are a common cause of eye injuries, as well as Christmas tree branches.“And never give laser pens as gifts,”Ashley warns.“They can cause blindness.” STAY SAFE: Keep your Champagne chilled as the cork of a warm bottle is more likely to pop unexpectedly than that of a cold one. When uncorking the fizz, point the bottle away from yourself and others. Trim back any protruding Christmas tree branches.
11 ALCOHOL POISONING
Each year, nearly 4,000 children are taken to A&E suffering from alcohol poisoning, figures from the Department Of Health show. In extreme cases, it can lead to death. STAY SAFE: Store alcohol out of sight and pour away half-empty glasses at night. Don’t encourage underage teens to drink.
12 BACK INJURIES
Slouching in chairs in front of the box can trigger aches and pains, while lifting heavy parcels and Christmas trees can lead to back problems. STAY SAFE: Sit up straight with your feet on the floor as you watch TV. If you’re lifting something, bend at the knees, not the waist.Take a daily walk.