It is that time of the year again, the season to be jolly, to catch up with family and friends, to be grateful for what we have and who we have to share it with. It is also the season to be safe so that all of these things can happen. You may not think of Christmas as a time to take extra precautions or to really think about safety but it is the time of year that sees a spike in injury’s, road deaths and general hospital admissions for simple accidents such as slips, trips and falls. Most of these incidents are preventable, below is a list of the most common injuries over the Christmas period for your home and workplace, and how to avoid them.
Electricity
Electricity covers many aspects of safety in the home and office over the Christmas period, here are the key things to look out for and to think about:
- When was our RCD last test? If it has been a while test it before plugging in any lights;
- Are all of your lights and decorations to Australian Standards?
- Check all of your old electrical decorations for frayed cords or exposed wires;
- Check that only outdoor certified lighting and plugs are used outdoors;
- Turn off all lights before you go to bed each night.
Slips, Trips and Falls
These types of accidents can happen at home or at the office, indoors or out. Make sure you use the right equipment for the job, use ladders or step stools instead of chairs and also look for the following:
- Try to make sure all cables are either against walls, away from doorways and out of children’s reach, if this is unavoidable try taping cables to the floor and placing a barrier around them;
- Make sure all ornaments are hung high enough so they are not going to cause injury to eyes or tripping hazards, don’t restrict the view through doorways or exits;
- Always make sure you have a spotter when using ladders, if you are putting decorations on your roof make sure you are using the correct safety equipment i.e. safety harness, helmet etc.
- When assembling or rapping presents make sure you collect rubbish and other loose items that may end up on the floor as they can create slip and trip hazards
The Christmas Party(s)
Whether it is your office Christmas party or catching up with family and friends staying safe during and between the Christmas parties is so important, to reduce the risk of an unplanned event consider:
How you will get home if you plan to drink. It is NEVER OK to drink and drive, there are so many options at your fingertips, so there are no excuses;- Stay alert, stop, revive, survive, many of us do the dash from party to party over the Christmas break, make sure you are well rested before you travel and have patients, think of your loved ones, and everyone else on the road too
- Slip, slop, slap, the Australian sun in December is HOT, protect yourself and your loved ones by remembering to stay hydrated, covered and cool
Christmas is an amazing, wonderful time of year, it brings us all together, not just family and friends but the spirit of kindness and goodwill to all. Safety during the holiday season starts with you, step back and have a look, take a breath and assess your situations, but most of all enjoy the time you have.
From all of us here at Integrate Sustainability, we would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, a happy new year and safe holidays. We look forward to working with our current and future client in 2019.
Download PDF: ISPL Insight – Christmas Safety