How to keep you and your family safe this Christmas
With Christmas less than a week away, the festive spirit may be out in full force in your household! During such a busy time of year, it can be easy to overlook safety hazards that are more likely to occur from fire risks to children’s safety. Here are a few things to keep in mind during this festive period to keep you and your family safe and well when entering 2023!
Check toys
If you are buying your little ones toys for Christmas this year, it is key that you only purchase toys suitable for their age group and from reputable retailers. If you are buying new toys then only choose ones that have been properly safety checked. These will be marked with the CE or UKCA mark and you will find this on the packaging or toy itself.
If buying second-hand toys then do some checks yourself. A few things to look out for are things that may detach if pulled too hard such as plastic eyes or fur which can cause choking hazards and avoid toys with any sharp parts. You should also look to steer clear of any toys that have magnets as these can attach if swallowed and cause serious health risks. If there is an accident involving your child and a toy that has been marked as safe, you may be able to make a claim against the manufacturer who put your child at risk.
Food and drink
When it comes to food and drink, many of us like to indulge over Christmas but there are a few things to be aware of. Firstly, if you have children, be sure to remove all empty and partially empty alcohol glasses or containers and keep them out of reach for those who are not old enough to drink. Alcohol poising is a common risk for young children, and even more over Christmas when there may be more than usual available for them to try a sip of.
During the festive period, in many households, the kitchen is one of the most used areas of the house due to all the cooking that goes on. As such, there is an increased risk of burns, especially if you have small children that may be running through. To reduce the risk of accidental burns you should try and keep children away when cooking or baking and keep any hot pans and trays out of reach. When possible, you should cook on the back of the stove and turn pan handles away from any passing traffic to avoid the possibility of someone knocking them over when rushing past.
Fire safety
One of the key things to keep yourself safe over Christmas is to ensure that all of the smoke and fire alarms in the home are working. With the additional lights and candles on display over Christmas, there is an increased fire risk which could be fatal without a working smoke alarm. Be sure to extinguish any candles before you go to bed or leave the house and keep them away from flammable objects such as your Christmas tree.
If you have a natural Christmas tree then it is important to water it frequently and keep it away from heat sources like radiators as dry trees and needles are much more likely to catch fire. For those that opt for an artificial tree, choose a fire retardant type.
