Holiday Related Injuries on the Increase, CPSC Says
Tis the season to be jolly, but holiday festivities can quickly turn into tragedy if the proper safety precautions are not followed.
According to government health officials, during the holiday season there are about 250 holiday-related injuries reported each day. And unfortunately injuries related to holiday decorating have increased in recent years.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), says injuries related to holiday decorating have steadily risen over the last four years – with about 15,000 injuries involving holiday decorating between Nov. and Dec. 2012. CBS News Report on Decorating Injuries
That’s a sharp increase from 2009, when there were about 12,000 holiday decorating-related injuries logged in the nation’s ERs. NBC News Report on Holiday Injuries
Each year, hospital emergency rooms treat people with injuries related to holiday lights, decorations and Christmas trees. In addition, Christmas trees are involved in about 400 fires annually, resulting in 20 deaths, 70 injuries and an average of more than $15 million in property loss and damage. Consumer Product Safety Commission Safety Tips
With this in mind, the CPSC is urging consumers to look for and eliminate potential dangers during the season – and recommends the following tips to avoid fire and injury.
Trees:
Lights:
Decorations:
Fireplaces:
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC’s Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054 for the hearing impaired.