Holiday fire safety tips

As the holiday season approaches, the Environmental Health and Safety Department would like to remind faculty and staff of safe practices for office decorations. Although decorating is a fun and festive way to celebrate the season, some materials used for decoration may increase the risk of a fire. Following these simple safety tips will help keep office areas safe and prevent a potential fire this holiday season.

NICE LIST (Safe Decorations)

• Artwork, cards and paper decorations that do not cover more than 20% of any wall or door
• UL-listed, indoor decorative lighting strings, as long as:
  –you check the lights to ensure the cords are not broken, frayed or damaged
  –you don’t connect more than three (3) strands of lights together
  –you do not use electric lights on a metal tree
• UL-listed, electric holiday decorations such as Menorahs
• Fire-resistant artificial trees and greens
• Tree ornaments and bells
• Flameless LED candles

NAUGHTY LIST (Unsafe Decorations – Do Not Use)

• Decorations such as paper covered wrapping of desks and doors
• Candles or open flames
• Live trees or greens (wreaths, boughs)

Safety Precautions
To ensure safety, please:

• Do not cover more than 20% of any wall or door with paper
• Do not tack or staple an electrical cord or cable
• Do not obstruct exits, exit signs or fire safety equipment (i.e. fire extinguishers, pull stations, sprinklers)
• Do not place decorations in or on elevators or stairways
• Do not hang decorations from ceilings, sprinklers or light fixtures
• Do not place decorations close to sources of heat such as lights and radiators
• Do plug extension cords directly into an outlet, not into another extension cord or power strip
• Do unplug/turn off all lights at the end of the workday and over weekends and holidays

Published: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 16:38:16 +0000 by d.gardner