With the holiday season rapidly approaching, many business owners are getting ready to dig their box of decorations out of storage. Decking the halls of your workplace will lift everyone’s spirits, but it also presents certain safety considerations. If a customer or worker is hurt on your premises because of dangerous decor, you may face a personal injury lawsuit. Here’s how to avoid accidents and keep everyone safe.

5 Tips for Safe Holiday Decorations at Work

1. Safeguard Against Tripping

Avoid placing Christmas trees and other freestanding decorations in areas with a lot of foot traffic. Keep light cords flush against walls, not running across open spaces. Tape cords down to prevent personal injury due to trips. It’s also advisable to hang a “watch your step” sign.

2. Don’t Block Fire Exits

While stringing up garlands and wreaths will add a cozy touch to your office, steer clear of placing decorations near fire exits. This not only poses risk to your employees and customers, it also violates fire codes, meaning you could be subject to fines. 

3. Beware of Lights

Christmas lights make the holidays bright, but they can cause electrical shock if they’re damaged, so make sure the cords aren’t worn or frayed. To mitigate the risk of fires, use LED lights, which burn less energy than other bulb varieties and are therefore less likely to cause fires. Invest in quality lights that have the stamp of approval from a testing laboratory, like UL or ETL. Never buy real candles. Flameless candles are much safer. 

4. Choose Your Tree Wisely

If you buy an artificial tree, make sure it’s labeled as fire resistant. If you get a real tree, check water levels every day to make sure it doesn’t get dried out, which would make it more flammable. Whether you go for real or fake, keep the tree away from outlets, heaters, and other potential sources of fires.  

5. Practice Safe Installation

If you have employees doing your decorating, make sure they’re working safely and as a team to prevent personal injury. When stringing lights at heights, use a stable ladder and have a second person support the base. When lifting heavy boxes of decorations, people should lift from their legs, not their backs. It’s also smart to wear gloves when handling live trees to prevent splinters and cuts.

If you’re a business owner facing a lawsuit, trust the Upstate Legal Center Of John V. Shepard. For over 30 years, this firm has been serving residents of Rochester, NY, and Monroe County with top-quality legal counsel on personal injury cases. John V. Shepard is known for his attention to detail and the personalized representation he gives each client. For a free initial consultation, fill out the online form or call (585) 429-5422.