As we move further into the holiday season, we want to remind you to keep safety at the top of your list. There are many holiday-related injuries and deaths during this time, so we urge you to practice safety when decorating your homes, preparing feasts, and traveling. Please see below for some safety tips from our Level I Trauma Center team.
Prevention of Falls:
- Ladder Safety. It is a great time to start decorating for the holiday season. Adults often sustain injuries from falling off ladders while decorating their home. Please follow some of these ladder safety tips: Don’t use a ladder alone; have someone hold the ladder; don’t use anything with wheels to hang decorations; make sure the ladder is on secure level ground.
- Watch where you walk. There can be many obstacles on the floor during the holiday season and as the weather gets colder, there may also be patches of ice. Walking slowly and carefully watching where you step can help prevent a fall.
Kitchen Safety:
- Fire Prevention. The use of holiday lights can be a fire hazard. Make sure to inspect lights for quality and never leave lights on unattended.
- Burn Prevention. Meal preparations can be hectic. Make sure to never leave the kitchen unattended during preparation to help prevent burns. Take caution with hot foods and liquids, and do not place within reach of young children.
- Sharp Object Safety. While working in the kitchen, be aware that there are many sharp objects. Please take caution and extra time in preparation to prevent cuts and lacerations.
Travel/Road Safety:
The holiday season is the busiest travel time of the year. When going to visit family and friends, please take these precautions into consideration:
- Wear your seat belt.
- Never use your phone while driving; set up your GPS and notify family prior to your trip.
- Allow for extra travel time; with many cars on the road, traffic may be heavy.
- Place all gifts and food into the rear or trunk of the vehicle.
- Assess vehicle safety: tire pressure, fuel gauge, and windshield wipers.
- DO NOT drive after you have been drinking.