Christmas is just a week away and most offices and places of work will have their decorations up and employees in the festive spirit!

And with many employees taking extended time off over the holidays and some places of work shutting down we thought we would share some electrical safety and general tips and advice for staying safe to really enjoy your Christmases however and wherever you celebrate it!

Part 1: Electrical Safety:

• For all those festive lights around the place, LEDs are the best to use as they use much less energy and do not give off heat. If you don’t have LED lights, try to use the cooler-burning “mini” Christmas lights as opposed to the traditional larger bulbs. The older style bulbs burn at a higher temperature and can start fires
• Inspect each set of Christmas lights, old or new, for damage. This is also worth doing even once the lights are up around the room as busy workplaces can often mean that items get knocked or damaged inadvertently
• Want Christmas lights outdoors? Use outdoor Christmas lights. The packaging will note whether the lights can be used indoors, outdoors, or both. Don’t ever use indoor lights outside
• Use extension leads properly. Outdoor leads can be used anywhere, but never use indoor extension leads outside. Do not overload extension leads, they can get hot enough to burn. Never “daisy chain” extension leads (plugging one lead into another to get the required length)
• Ensure that any decorations or lights are not blocking Fire Exits or exit signage which could cause an obstruction in the event of a fire
• Beware of trailing cables and wires in the rush to connect new gadgets and appliances, and always read the instructions
• When you leave your place of work or head to bed at night, turn off indoor and outdoor Christmas lights.

Look out for Part 2: Stay Safe at Home this Christmas, this Friday 🎄