During the Christmas festive season, it is important to be safe around electricity and to take care when erecting Christmas lights in homes and gardens. Christmas decorations can carry a risk of electrical injury if not used carefully.
Stay safe and keep in mind the following:
Keep your Christmas lights well away from water: If you’ve pulled out your old Christmas lights and they’re a bit dusty, make sure you clean them before you plug them in. Remember, don’t touch them if your hands are damp and always keep your lights well away from water – inside and outside.
Check your Christmas lights for damaged cords and cables: Before you set up your Christmas lights, check them carefully for frayed, damaged or worn cords and cables. If they are damaged, you either need to get them fixed by a licensed electrician or throw them away. If everything’s OK, unwind them fully before you plug them in to test them.
Never piggyback adaptors or powerboards: When setting up your Christmas lights, make sure you don’t piggyback double adaptors or powerboards.
Always unwind your extension cords: When hooking up your Christmas lights, make sure any extension cords are fully unwound. Extension cords that are tied or knotted up can overheat and become a fire threat.
Be careful near powerlines: When carrying or using ladders, or installing Christmas lights near powerlines, make sure you stop, look up and look out. Touching - or even getting too close to power lines - can be fatal.