Holiday & Winter Safety Materials
Every year children and adults are injured throughout the holiday and winter season from decorating, motor vehicle, food preparation, to winter sport activities.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that nearly 7,500 people are treated in emergency departments for injuries related to holiday decorating alone in the United States. The National Fire Protection Association reports $170 million in property damages attributed to candle fires alone each year, with one-sixth of these fires occurring in the month of December. Children under the age of 5 are also treated in emergency departments during this time of year for injuries associated with shopping carts and escalators while parents are shopping and at home from being exposed to poisonous holiday plants (Christmas cactus, and holly berries) and decorations that look like candy.
Between November and December every hour, 10 people are injured from holiday decorating activities. The most common injuries include:
In addition to holiday-related injury risks are winter sports injuries, driving-related injuries from driving in snow, icy and even rainy wet roads, to rain and flood safety.
While Pro Consumer Safety has established the public Winter Holiday Safety website, the following safety materials are available for download, printing, and distribution to help increase awareness and decrease the risk of exposure to keep families safer and healthy throughout the holiday and winter seasons.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that nearly 7,500 people are treated in emergency departments for injuries related to holiday decorating alone in the United States. The National Fire Protection Association reports $170 million in property damages attributed to candle fires alone each year, with one-sixth of these fires occurring in the month of December. Children under the age of 5 are also treated in emergency departments during this time of year for injuries associated with shopping carts and escalators while parents are shopping and at home from being exposed to poisonous holiday plants (Christmas cactus, and holly berries) and decorations that look like candy.
Between November and December every hour, 10 people are injured from holiday decorating activities. The most common injuries include:
- Adult falls (mostly from ladders), cuts, burns, and back strains from decorating
- Fires: Most tree fires happen between Christmas and New Year's when trees become more dried out. Tree fires happen because of three common reasons: 1) The tree not being watered-Live trees dry quickly in a warm home, especially when not watered regularly causing a high fire risk. 2) the tree is placed too close to a heat source (fireplace or heater), and 3) Too many strands of lights plugged together.
- Falls and poisonings among toddler-aged children: Children under the age of 5 are also treated in emergency departments during this time of year for injuries associated with 1) shopping cart and escalator related-falls while parents are shopping; and 2) in the home from being exposed to poisonous holiday plants and decorations that look like candy.
In addition to holiday-related injury risks are winter sports injuries, driving-related injuries from driving in snow, icy and even rainy wet roads, to rain and flood safety.
While Pro Consumer Safety has established the public Winter Holiday Safety website, the following safety materials are available for download, printing, and distribution to help increase awareness and decrease the risk of exposure to keep families safer and healthy throughout the holiday and winter seasons.
HOLIDAY SAFETY
WINTER SPORTS SAFETY
Questions contact info@ProConsumerSafety.com