Deck the Walls, Dash Through the Malls
and Brighten the Season Safely

(ARA) – ‘Tis the season for decorating and gift-giving. But don’t overlook important holiday safety techniques just because you’re feeling jolly.

To ensure a safe and festive holiday season, CSA International, a global certification and testing organization, advises everyone to check the following lists twice for tips on smart shopping, indoor and outdoor decorating and maintaining a safe home.

Finding the perfect holiday gift at just the right price can be a challenge. And, just when you think you’ve found a bargain, there is a chance you may have actually purchased a potentially dangerous counterfeit. Giving a phony item could mean unintentionally putting family and friends at risk for a serious or fatal injury.

Counterfeit products can include unsafe items such as electric toys, household appliances, power tools, consumer electronics and other gifts that may present a shock or fire hazard. CSA International warns consumers to be familiar with the signs that separate naughty from nice items:

* Avoid electrical products that are missing a label from an accredited certification organization such as CSA International.
* Counterfeit packaging often has an inferior design or partial illustrations. Look for misspellings and unclear print on products and labels.
* Check for a discrepancy between the contents of the product package and its description.
* When a product doesn’t include a brand identifier or trademark, it may be a fake. Look for missing return addresses or company contact information.
* Check the "look and feel" of products. Fakes are often light and flimsy.
* Buy only from reputable stores with clearly stated return policies.

Have Yourself A Very Merry Home: Indoor Safety Tips
Lighting and decorations

* Inspect holiday light strings each year and discard any with frayed cords, cracked lamp holders or loose connections.
* Unplug light strings before replacing bulbs and check to ensure replacement bulbs match the voltage and wattage of the original bulb. Ensure that bulb reflectors are the right size for the light string.
* Always turn off holiday lights when you leave the house unattended or when going to bed.
* Store lights and decorations in their original packaging, as they likely contain manufacturer’s instructions on replacement bulbs and details for proper product use.
* Do not use open flames or candles on or near flammable materials such as wreaths, trees or paper decorations.
* Never tack or staple lighting strings or extension cords to any surface.
* Avoid hanging decorations on or near objects like fire sprinklers, fire extinguishers, hose cabinets, exit corridors or exit signs which can hinder one’s safety.
* Never run electrical cords through doorways, under carpets or rugs.

Gas fireplaces
* Do not use your gas fireplace if the glass panel is removed, cracked or broken. Glass panels and frame assemblies should be replaced only by a qualified service person.
* When purchasing or installing a gas fireplace, check for the mark of an accredited certification organization such as the Star mark from CSA International. This indicates the fireplace meets applicable national standards.

Carbon-monoxide alarms
* Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installing and maintaining CO alarms. Install at least one carbon-monoxide (CO) alarm near bedrooms. Use more than one CO alarm if sleeping areas are located on different levels of your home.  
* Change batteries at least twice a year.
* When purchasing a CO alarm, check for the mark of an accredited certification organization such as CSA International’s Flame mark and the CSA 6.19-01 reference mark.

Smoke alarms
* Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside all sleeping areas.
* Test your smoke alarms monthly. Only working smoke alarms can give you the precious seconds you may need to escape a fire.

Basement and garage
* Don’t store combustible materials such as gasoline, propane, paper, chemicals, paint, rags and cleaning products near your gas furnace. Gasoline or propane cylinders must be stored outside the home.
* Never use gasoline or other flammable liquids in the vicinity of your gas furnace or water heater.
* Look for the familiar CSA International certification Star mark on your gas-fired furnace or water heater to ensure it has been tested and certified to the applicable standard. Have a qualified heating contractor perform a yearly maintenance check of your furnace and venting system.

When it Snows Let Your Home Glisten: Outdoor Lighting Tips

* Before working with outdoor wiring, turn off the electricity to the supply outlet and unplug
the connection.
* Ensure that light strings, cords, spotlights and floodlights are certified and marked for outdoor use.
* When hanging lights outdoors, keep electrical connectors above ground, out of puddles and snow and away from metal gutters.
* Use insulated fasteners such as tape or plastic clips rather than nails or tacks to hold lights in place.
* Remove lights promptly after the holidays to avoid damage caused by extended exposure to harsh weather conditions.
* Use a certified timer to switch lights on (after 7 p.m. to avoid the electricity rush hour) and off.
* Whenever possible, connect all outdoor lighting into receptacles protected by weatherproof ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI). These can provide protection from electric shock by sensing ground leakage and cutting electrical power.

To learn more about CSA International certification marks, visit
www.csa-international.org/certification_marks.  For a fun and interactive Web site on holiday safety that the whole family can enjoy, visit www.csaholiday.com. For more general safety tips, visit www.csasafetytips.com. Courtesy of ARAcontent

CHRISTMAS TREE
Many artificial Christmas trees are fire resistant. If you buy one, look for a statement specifying this protection.

A fresh Christmas tree will stay green longer and be less of a fire hazard than a dry Christmas tree. To check for freshness, remember:

• A fresh Christmas tree is green.
• Fresh needles are hard to pull from branches.
• When bent between your fingers, fresh needles do not break.
• The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin.
• When the trunk of a tree is bounced on the ground, a shower of falling needles shows that tree is too dry.

Place tree away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources. Heated rooms dry trees out rapidly, creating fire hazards.

Cut off about two inches of the trunk to expose fresh wood for better water absorption. Trim away branches as necessary to set tree trunk in the base of a sturdy, water-holding stand with wide spread feet. Keep the stand filled with water while the tree is indoors.

Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways. Use thin guy-wires to secure a large tree to walls or ceiling. These wires are almost invisible.

"SNOW"
Artificial snow sprays can irritate lungs if inhaled. To avoid injury, read container labels; follow directions carefully.

LIGHTS
Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety. Identify these by the label from an independent testing laboratory.

Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Discard damaged sets or repair them before using.

Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house, walls or other firm support to protect from wind damage.

Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.

Turn off all lights on trees and other decorations when you go to bed or leave the house. Lights could short and start a fire.

Never use electric lights on a metallic tree.

The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and any person touching a branch could be electrocuted! To avoid this danger, use colored spotlights above or beside a tree, never fastened onto it!

Keep "bubbling" lights away from children. These lights with their bright colors and bubbling movement can tempt curious children to break candle-shaped glass, which can cut, and attempt to drink liquid, which contains a hazardous chemical.

CANDLES
Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders. Keep candles away from other decorations and wrapping paper. Place candles where they cannot be knocked down or blown over.

TRIMMINGS
Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials. Wear gloves while decorating with spun glass "angel hair" to avoid irritation to eyes and skin. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles or plastic or non-leaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.

In homes with small children, take special care to:

Avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable.

Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children. Pieces could be swallowed or inhaled.

Avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food. A child could eat them!

FIRES
Before lighting any fire, remove all greens, boughs, papers, and other decorations from fireplace area. Check to see that flue is open.
Keep a screen before the fireplace all the time a fire is burning.
Use care with "fire salts" which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals which can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation or vomiting if eaten. Keep away from children.

PAPER
When making paper decorations, look for materials labeled non-combustible or flame-resistant. Never place trimming near open flames or electrical connections. Remove all wrapping papers from tree and fireplace areas immediately after presents are opened.  Do not burn papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

General Rules for Holiday Safety
Keep matches, lighters, and candles out of the reach of children. Avoid smoking near flammable decorations. Make an emergency plan to use if a fire breaks out anywhere in the home. See that each family member knows what to do. PRACTICE THE PLAN!

Avoid wearing loose flowing clothes - particularly long, open sleeves - near open flames - such as those of a fireplace, stove, or candlelit table.

Never burn candles near evergreens. Burning evergreens in the fireplace can also be hazardous. When dry, greens burn like tinder. Flames can flare out of control, and send sparks flying into a room, or up the chimney to ignite creosote deposits.

Plan for safety. Remember, there is no substitute for common sense. Look for and eliminate potential danger spots near candles, fireplaces, trees, and/or electrical connections.

Consumer Product Safety Commission
Holiday Decoration Safety Tips

Merry Christmas

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