Cleveland Clinic Shares Safety Tips to Avoid Injuries During Holiday Decorating

CLEVELAND, OH — As the holiday season begins, Cleveland Clinic experts are reminding residents to prioritize safety while decorating. With nearly 15,000 emergency department visits recorded last year due to holiday decorating-related injuries, simple precautions can prevent accidents.

Dr. Carole Parsons, an emergency medicine specialist at Cleveland Clinic, emphasized the importance of ladder safety. “We see falls related to holiday decorating every year in the emergency department. Ladder safety is probably the biggest one that I can stress. When you climb ladders, make sure that it is firmly planted on the ground and ideally have somebody with you to make sure that that ladder's secure,” Parsons advised.

The risks increase when individuals stretch too far to hang decorations rather than repositioning the ladder. Experts recommend moving the ladder to avoid reaching beyond a safe range.

Inspecting holiday lights before use is also crucial. Any strings with frayed wiring or broken bulbs should be discarded to prevent fire hazards. Additionally, plugging multiple light strands into a single outlet can overload circuits, posing significant risks. Using multiple outlets to distribute electrical loads is a safer option.

For those with Christmas trees, safety measures differ based on the tree type. Artificial trees should be labeled as "fire-resistant," while live trees require consistent watering to prevent them from drying out and becoming a fire hazard. “They tend to dry out as you get closer to the holiday season,” Parsons said. “So, you do want to make sure that you water it very frequently and make sure that you keep your live trees away from fireplaces or other fire sources in your house.”

These reminders are critical as the holiday rush picks up. By taking proactive measures, families can enjoy a festive and injury-free season.