01 December, 2011

With just over three weeks until Christmas, many of us are starting to prepare our homes for the festive season. Whilst decorating the house can be fun, there are a few things to bear in mind so that your family and home remain safe. David Shepherd at Safety Cornwall Ltd has the following advice:

Decorations
Christmas trees should not be sprayed with hair lacquer in an effort to prevent the needles from falling. A lacquered tree will burn readily. Also bear in mind that real Christmas trees can burn very quickly indeed if they are left to dry out, so remember to keep the needles moist.

Decorative lights fitted to trees and elsewhere should be checked to make sure that there are no missing bulbs or loose wires, and the plug should be fitted with a 3 amp fuse. Lights should be kept well away from combustible decorations and should be unplugged at bedtime or other times when they are not in use.

Non-combustible decorations should be used in preference to combustible decorations made of paper, or anything else which easily catches fire. Where paper decorations are used they should be kept well clear of fires (fixed or portable), lights and any other electrical equipment or open flames.

All decorations should be kept away from exit/escape doorways and escape routes - if they do catch fire, this will compromise a safe exit.

Heating
Open fires should always be guarded, and mirrors should never be placed above any type of fire because they encourage people to move too close to a fire, risking setting their clothes on fire. Fancy dress and party dresses may burn particularly well.

Used wrapping paper should be carefully disposed of outside the house.

Chimneys and flues should be swept at least once every six months. Portable heaters should be kept away from furniture and furnishings, in a position where no objects can fall on them. It is wise to fix them in place so that they cannot be knocked over. Electric fires should be unplugged at night.

Children should never be left alone in a room where there is a portable heater, and matches and lighters should always be kept well away from children.

Candles
Real candles should not be used to decorate a Christmas tree. If you use candles, you should:

o Fix candles in a holder of the correct size
o Keep lighted candles out of the reach of children
o Keep lighted candles away from curtains, decorations and other flammable materials.
o Extinguish candles before retiring for the night

Batteries
Do not be tempted to `borrow' the smoke alarm battery to use in a present. Without its battery a smoke alarm is useless and you would be at a much greater risk from the effects of a fire.

If a fire breaks out, make sure that the door of the room where the fire is located is closed - this will help to contain the fire and restrict the spread of poisonous fumes.

Warn the household and get everyone out by the safest route, then call the Fire Service by dialling 999. Finally, do not go back in to the house for any reason.

Image source: Chiway on www.flickr.com