How to stay safe and prevent accidents this Christmas

Christmas is a time to relax and have fun with your family, but fun can turn into disaster if not enough care is taken, so here are some ways to avoid having any Christmas-related injuries this year.

For those with children around the house it can be a stressful time trying to make sure they don’t injure themselves with all the extra stuff around the house. A few things to bear in mind to avoid accident:

• Injuries to children from the excitement of having new toys e.g. riding bikes into walls/falling off them, or even excitedly ripping open plastic packaging and cutting themselves.
• Swallowing small batteries such as those found in watches or weighing scales can have serious consequences for children, and may even be fatal.
• Decorations and berries (for instance holly or mistletoe berries) can present a choking hazard, especially to smaller children.
• It’s important to keep any choking hazards or dangers out of reach of children. When letting them open new toys, perhaps help them by using scissors to open packaging.

However, it’s not just children who can be injured at Christmas, adults are at risk too, especially after a tipple!

Be aware of:

• Wrapping presents may lead to injuries if you slip whilst using scissors or knives.
• Toys, new presents and wires around the Christmas tree can all present tripping hazards. Secure or tape down any wires that may result in someone falling over them. Organise toys and presents in storage boxes or in a safe pile.
• Christmas lights are not just a tripping hazard, they can also be a danger because of the fire risk they pose. Leaving lights or candles on overnight or whilst you’re not in the house is one of the main cause of fires over the Christmas period. It’s important to double check that any lights are turned off at the plug when you’re not around, and avoid leaving candles or lights on for long periods of time.
• When trying to put a star or angel on top of the tree, accidents are likely to occur. Make sure you stand on a solid platform so you do not fall and don’t strain yourself too much to avoid pulling any muscles.
• When decorating the outside of the house many people take unnecessary risks. Always make sure you have the correct equipment and that you do not work alone when climbing ladders.

On the day itself, you may be rushing around trying to balance entertaining with getting food read.  Take care of:

• Injuries from cooking disasters. It can be stressful cooking for a number of people at Christmas. Common incidents involve hot fat or gravy spilling and cuts when preparing vegetables.  Take it slow, your family would rather you still have all your fingers than the food being on time.
• Accidents may also occur if guests have had a little too much to drink. Make sure you do not drink and drive, and if you are the sober one keep an eye on any family members who are in danger of falling over their own feet.
• When celebrating Christmas, you may be cracking open the bubbly but take care when popping corks - you don’t want to take someone’s eye out.
• It’s tempting to try to entertain your kids by pretending to be Father Christmas for the day, but try not to do any unnecessary stunts, and definitely do not attempt to climb down the chimney!

Really though, Christmas is about spending time with your family and having a nice day, so make sure you all keep well, and have a Merry Christmas! 

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