Be safe this Christmas
Guest Post
In the run up to Christmas it’s important to be safe whether that be with food, risk of fires or remembering any first aid knowledge. All the family will be getting together so it’s important to keep everyone safe as extra hazards are present at this time of year. Follow these tips to ensure festive fun is had by all!
Don’t let Christmas go up in flames
If you decide to get a live tree this Christmas, then make sure you take special safety precautions so that a fire will not rapidly occur within your home.
When you go to pick your tree, touch the needles to see if there are green and hard to pull back from the branches. Then check the trunk, is it sticky to touch? This means it is fresher and better for your home. A top tip is to bounce the tree on the ground to see if any needles fall off. If they do, the tree is more likely to be older and dried out, therefore becoming a fire hazard.
When you get your tree home be sure to place it in a safe place. This is somewhere that isn’t close to a heat source which includes fireplaces.
Candles, lights and your cosy fire can also be dangerous within the home but by being aware of the potential fire risks then you can prevent disasters from happening.
Candles:
· Always put candles on a heat resistant surface and put them in a proper holder to make sure they don’t fall over.
· Candles should not be placed near curtains, furniture or directly under anything.
· Be sure to extinguish candles before moving them or when you leave a room, never leave a burning candle unattended.
· Keep candles out of reach or children or any pets you may have.
Lights:
· Get new lights for your tree if possible; they’ll meet much higher safety standards.
· Remember to switch off lights when you are out of the house or go to bed.
· Don’t let the bulbs touch anything that can burn easily, for example Christmas cards.
· Don’t overload sockets as an electrical fault could occur, causing a fire.
Fireplaces:
· Always place a heat guard around a fire to protect yourself and family members.
· Do not attach any paper decorations above or around your fireplace as these can catch fire and burn easily.
Food poisoning is not on anyone’s Christmas list.
When it comes to Christmas dinner it is vital that the relevant precautions are taken to prevent anyone becoming ill:
· Store food that needs to be kept in the fridge right up until you need it.
· Keep different food separate to avoid cross contamination.
· Use different chopping boards for raw and cooked foods.
· Don’t wash your turkey before cooking it as this can actually spread germs.
· When defrosting your turkey do not let it touch any other food and make sure it’s in a container big enough to catch all liquids.
· Then, it needs to be fully defrosted all the way through before cooking
· When the time finally comes to sitting down to dinner ensure the turkey is hot all the way through and steaming.
· Use leftovers within 2 days of cooking and do not reheat more than once.
· If you want to keep them for longer they can be frozen. Make sure food cools before putting it in the freezer.
Accidents can happen to anyone, even Santa
As everyone will be rushing around trying to get everything ready for Christmas Day sometimes safety can be forgotten:
· Christmas gifts should be age appropriate – Keep an eye out for things that could be a choking hazard to young children
· Put scissors in a handy place to open any packaging, this way you won’t use a knife.
· Christmas decorations are not toys so keep them out of the reach of little ones.
· Watch out for cables and wires that are more present around this time – Falls are the most common accidents so keep clutter to a minimum
· Brush up on any first aid knowledge so that of tragedy does strike you are prepared.
Get into the Festive spirit, with safety in mind
Christmas is an exciting time for everyone and we all want it to go without a hitch. With so much going on it’s important to enjoy this time of year and get in to the festive spirit! Always have these safety tips in the back of your mind so that your celebrations are a joyous occasion for all the family.
Guest post written by Natalie Sneddon from Aid Training. They offer training courses from fire safety to leadership management.
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