8 Workplace Safety Tips for the Holidays
‘Tis the season for twinkling lights and sparkling trimmings. Chances are that your coworkers, staff or even managers will soon want to get into the spirit and will begin setting decorations up around the worksite. But as joyful as the holidays are, there’s no excuse for disregarding safety guidelines during this wonderful time of the year. In fact, by following basic safety rules, you are more likely to make it through the holidays without any major disasters at work. So to help ensure that your holiday cheer and decor doesn’t create a seasonal work disaster, we’ve put together eight things we think you should give extra attention to when setting your company up for the holidays.
- Keep temporary workers informed: Thousands of temporary workers are hired across the country during the holidays. Before these workers can officially join your team, they need to be briefed on safety. Always make sure your temporary staff is aware of all the business’ safety guidelines and feels comfortable discussing safety issues with management.
- Inspect your lights: It isn’t truly the holidays until a string of lights have been set up. But before you hang them, it’s important to always thoroughly inspect your lights and make sure their wiring isn’t frayed or broken. If you hang lights indoors, use proper hooks instead of nails or screws to lessen the chance of electrocution. If you hang lights outdoors, only use strands specifically made for outside weather.
- Follow manufacturer guidelines: When putting up decorations, always read any instructions on their packaging carefully. These will give you important tips on how to properly and safely use the product.
- Turn off electronics: Before you clock out for the day this season, turn off and unplug any lights and other electronic decorations at work. Not only will this keep your electric bill down, but it’ll also reduce the chance of electronic overheating or even an electrical fire causing a problem overnight when no one is there to handle it
- Don’t block exits: Be aware of the emergency exits in your building as you’re decorating. Never block them with large displays. Always have a clear route outside in case of emergency.
- Water your trees: On average, emergency personnel respond to 210 tree related structure fires per year. Keeping trees properly hydrated and removing loose needles can help prevent fires in your business.
- Keep decorations away from heat sources: If you regularly use candles, portable heaters, or fireplaces in your business, keep holiday decorations away from those areas to lower the possibility of fires.
- Clean spills quickly: When oil or other fuel sources are spilled near electrical decorations, it creates a dangerous fire hazard. Be sure to clean these up quickly and efficiently with a spill absorbent product.