Don't Be A Holiday Lighting Statistic: Tips From O&R

PEARL RIVER, NY — It never hurts to do it right, right? But the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that each year more than 12,000 people are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to holiday lights and trimmings.

So that you and your family won’t become part of these grim statistics, O&R wants to pass on some helpful advice from the commission:

• Check your light sets to make sure wires are not frayed or have worn bare spots on them and replace them if they are damaged.
• When purchasing new decorative lights, make sure they have the approval label of a testing laboratory like Underwriters Laboratories. That familiar UL symbol means the lights have been evaluated by a recognized product safety organization. Buying certified products reduces the chances of electric shock or fire.
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights and injure anyone touching it. Instead, use a colored spotlight above or below the metal tree, never attached to it.
• If you decorate outdoors, as many of us do, make sure to use lights designed for exterior use. Those units are typically more sturdily constructed and can stand up better to winter wind and weather.
• Don’t overload your household electric outlets with multiple plugs on multiple plugs. Overheated wires could start a fire.
• And, running extension cords under rugs presents a potential safety hazard, and a potential fire hazard.

While they're thinking about it, O&R officials want to help you control the electric costs of decorating during the holiday season:

• Consider using holiday decorations featuring energy-efficient LED (light emitting diode) fixtures instead of conventional incandescent bulbs. LED lights will help save on electric bills and help “green” the environment.
• Set timers for lights to automatically turn on when it gets dark and turn off later at night. You can save money by keeping your lights on from dusk to late evening, instead of all night long.
• Look for the Energy Star label on lighting (and any electronics or appliances you buy as gifts). These models meet stricter standards and can reduce energy usage up to 40 percent compared to standard models.
• Use power strips. To save energy, shut off power at the strip when the decorations are not in use.