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Play It Safe This Holiday Season Holiday Electrical Safety Tips from OUC – The Reliable One ORLANDO – Displaying holiday lights and decorations is a wonderful tradition for many families. But in the rush to get homes or businesses decorated for the holidays, it’s important not to overlook common safety precautions – especially when dealing with electricity. In addition to the risk of injuries from falls, putting up decorations improperly can cause fires or shocks from overloaded outlets and faulty or worn electrical wires. And this year, as Central Floridians decorate outdoors for the holidays, residents should also be on the lookout for dangers caused by the unprecedented hurricane season. Check for broken or low-hanging tree limbs that could become entangled in holiday decorations. Avoid trees that may be in contact with power lines and notify OUC immediately. The Orlando Fire Department reminds residents who have a live tree to keep it well watered and away from live flames or heat sources. Christmas trees are extremely flammable even if they look green. Nationally, Christmas trees alone account for about 400 fires annually, resulting in about 20 deaths and 70 injuries per year and costing an average of $15 million in property loss or damage. The Fire Department also advises residents to take extra care when using a ladder. Be careful not to overload the weight limits or reach of the ladder. Make sure the ladder is on stable ground and have someone assist you in holding the ladder for safety. OUC has put together a list of holiday safety tips to help prevent accidents around the home or office. In this festive time, it’s important to remember that safety comes first. Holiday electrical safety tips q Never use nails or staples to secure light strings or electrical cords. q Do not overload extension cords and electrical outlets or connect more than three strings of lights together. Also, never cover or run extension cords under furniture or carpets. Doing so increases the chance of overloading and could cause a fire. q Remove any dead tree limbs and clear hurricane debris that may pose a fire hazard to outside lightings and decorations. NEVER trim tree limbs that are touching power lines. If a damaged limb is resting on a power line, contact OUC. q Inspect decorations before plugging them in. Look for frayed or loose wires and loose connections. q Place fresh-cut trees away from heat sources, such as heat registers, fireplaces, and televisions. q Turn off holiday lights while you are away from home or before retiring for the night. Consider a programmable timer to ensure lights are not accidentally left on. q Unplug strings of lights before replacing bulbs, and replace burned-out bulbs promptly with ones of the same wattage. q When placing lights or decorations outdoors, use only decorations and extension cords certified for outdoor use. q When placing lights or decorations on outdoor trees, make sure to clear any hurricane-damaged limbs. Fallen limbs can damage electrical cords and bulbs. q Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) to avoid potential shocks. q Do not string lights on trees that are near or touching power lines. q On outside lights, point sockets down. To avoid moisture build-up, wrap a plastic bag around connections and tie ends with electrical tape. q Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. Faulty bulbs could make the tree become charged with electricity. For more information to help your family enjoy a safe and happy holiday season, go to http://www.ouc.com/knowledge/holiday.htm Established in 1923 and owned by the citizens of Orlando, OUC—The Reliable One provides electric and water services to more than 190,000 customers in Orlando, St. Cloud and parts of unincorporated Orange and Osceola counties. OUC is the second-largest public power utility in Florida. |
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