Health and Safety specialist Jo Griffiths from Lanyon Bowdler has today issued a warning for people to take care when they are using Christmas tree lights. This follows a recent report by the European Commission which found that 1 in 3 sets of Christmas lights present a direct risk of fire or electrical shocks.
The Commission found that over 30 per cent of the Christmas light sets on the EU market carried "serious non-compliance problems leading to increased risks of electric shock, fire hazard or both." Meglena Kuneva, Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, said "consumers want value for money and choice when they shop around at Christmas, but never at the expense of safety."
The advice from the European Commission is for consumers to follow a few simple rules:-
1 Always buy your lights from reputable businesses
2 Switch your lights off before leaving the house or going to bed
3 Return the lighting chain to the shop if it turns out to be faulty
Jo urges people to heed this advice and says "over the Christmas period, there is far more potential for a fire to occur due to candles being lit, fairy lights being used and extra cooking in the home. The festive time can be particularly hectic, but taking a few precautions is essential to ensuring a safe Christmas."
Jo goes on to recommend a few further safety tips to help everyone have an enjoyable and safe Christmas. 1 Fairy lights can get hot, so check they are in safe location and not placed near anything that can burn easily, such as paper.
2 If you need to use an extension lead for your lights, make sure, if it is a coiled lead, that it is uncoiled fully before switching it on, as leaving it coiled can result in overheating. However, if you are using one of these, remember - make sure the lead is well out of the way of people walking past so that it does not become a tripping hazard.
3 Always check you have a working smoke alarm, especially around Christmas time. Ideally you should have one properly fitted on each level.
Jo also urges people to be careful when using candles around the festive period saying "candles create a lovely, festive atmosphere but they do need to be treated with caution. Doing just a few basic things such as snuffing them out before you leave, not placing them near to curtains and putting them in a proper candle holder on a heat resistant surface, can all help to keep you and your family safe this Christmas."