MEDIA RELEASE PR37671
UL Urges Consumers to Think Safety During the Holidays
NORTHBROOK, Ill., Dec. 22 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
Families Could be at Risk for Home Fires and Deaths Due to Hazardous Holiday
Decorations
It's the time of year when twinkling lights, gently glowing candles and festive
decor adorn homes everywhere. While most people look forward to these holiday
traditions, they may forget that they can pose very real safety dangers to them and
their families.
The season of joy is unfortunately also a season for thousands of injuries and
home fires caused by holiday decorations. This holiday season Underwriters
Laboratories (UL), one of the world's leading product safety certification
organizations, is reminding consumers to think about safety to avoid holiday mishaps.
If not done mindfully, cheerful activities could quickly dampen holiday spirits.
Products like light strings can become worn after years of use, and they may cause
fire or electric shock.
"Decorating the tree, stringing holiday lights and other holiday traditions are
what every family wants to remember," said John Drengenberg, director of Consumer
Safety at UL. "Sadly, all can be a fire hazard or cause an electric shock or injury,
so families should take a few minutes to think about the most precious gift of all
when celebrating this year: safety."
SAFE DECORATING TIPS
-- A fresh tree is very important. If the needles are not fresh, there is
a greater risk of fire. Ask your tree lot attendant to make a fresh cut
to the base of the tree and place it in water as soon as you get home.
Position the tree in a stand that holds at least one gallon of water
and check moisture level daily. Dispose of your tree after
approximately four weeks.
-- Light it right. Carefully inspect each electrical decoration - new or
old -- before plugging it in... look for cracked sockets or frayed,
exposed wires that could become a shock or fire hazard. Replace damaged
items with new decorations.
-- Holiday lights - indoor or outdoor? Look at product packaging to
determine where a decoration should be used. Indoor-only decorations
should not be used outside because they have not been designed or
tested to withstand elements like wind, rain and heat or cold.
-- Be skeptical about savings. If the price is too good to be true, it
probably is. Be wary of buying decorations in non reputable stores. You
want to make sure what you are buying is not counterfeit as counterfeit
products have not been tested for safety.
SAFE FAMILY
-- Exercise candle care. Place candles out of reach of children and away
from heavy traffic areas in your home. Never leave a room with candles
lit.
-- Stand by your pan. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires. Stay in
the kitchen when you are cooking, frying or broiling.
-- Practice makes the holiday perfect. Use the holiday season as an
opportunity to practice a fire escape plan with your children. Every
family member should know at least two ways to get out of each room in
the home.
-- Gift donations. If you plan to give to those in need, think safety.
Consider donating toys your children no longer play with - but are in
good condition for second-hand use. Before donating toys with
electrical components, make sure they do not have frayed or bare
wires/cords as they can potentially cause fire or shock hazards.
"There will be many opportunities for stress and accidents this holiday.
Remembering to think about safety while decorating your home will help give comfort
to you and your family," says Drengenberg.
About Underwriters Laboratories
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an independent product safety certification
organization that has been testing products and writing Standards for Safety for over
a century. UL evaluates more than 19,000 types of products, components, materials and
systems, with 20 billion UL Marks appearing on 72,000 manufacturers' products each
year. UL's worldwide family of companies and network of service providers includes 64
laboratory, testing and certification facilities serving customers in 98 countries.
SOURCE: Underwriters Laboratories
CONTACT: Joe Hirschmugl,
Media Relations Manager of Underwriters Laboratories,
+1-847-664-1508,
Joseph.F.Hirschmugl@us.ul.com;
or Tina Janczura Stanton of GolinHarris,
+1-312-729-4349,
tjanczura@golinharris.com,
for UL
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