Revealed December 10, 2024 12:42 pm
At Lehigh Valley Well being Community (LVHN), we wish you to keep away from a go to to the emergency room by prioritizing security when dressing inside or exterior your property. Don't make your trip memorable for the mistaken causes.
The 'rung' issues
Whether or not you're channeling your interior Clark Griswold or simply placing up some easy decorations, keep away from falls and observe good stair security. Based on the Client Product Security Fee (CPSC), there are a median of 160 decorating-related accidents every day throughout the vacation season, and practically half contain falls.
The American Ladder Institute says that ladder security means:
• By no means climb a ladder in inclement climate circumstances.
• Make sure that the ladder is lengthy sufficient to soundly attain the roof or different excessive locations with out stepping on the highest two rungs.
• By no means overdo it. It is likely one of the primary causes of accidents from stairs. Transfer the ladder nearer so you may work safely.
• Examine your ladder for defects.
• Save the alcohol for after you end adorning, so your stability and judgment usually are not affected.
• Place your ladder on agency, degree floor and use leg levelers if crucial.
• At all times preserve three factors of contact together with your palms and ft.
Highly effective ideas
No matter you employ to brighten your property also needs to be protected, together with electrical objects like mild strings and extension cords.
The Nationwide Hearth Safety Affiliation says greater than 800 house fires are induced annually by Christmas decorations and about 200 house fires are associated to Christmas timber. The Worldwide Basis for Electrical Security advises:
• Make sure that all extension cords and electrical decorations are marked for correct use and inspected earlier than use.
• Exterior electrical lights and decorations have to be linked to circuits protected by floor fault circuit interrupters (GFCI).
• Watch out in case you are adorning close to energy strains. Maintain your self and your tools no less than 10 ft from these strains, together with the overhead service line which will connect with your property.
• Flip off all indoor and outside electrical decorations earlier than leaving house or going to sleep.
• Keep away from overloading electrical shops with too many decorations or electrical units. They will overheat and trigger a hearth.
• By no means join greater than three strings of incandescent lights collectively.
• Water your stay Christmas tree day by day.
• Maintain all decorations no less than three ft away from heating tools or open flames.
• Purchase electrical decorations from respected retailers which can be authorised by a nationally acknowledged testing laboratory, corresponding to Underwriters Laboratories, Intertek or CSA Group.
“Damage prevention is a crucial a part of good well being,” says David Burmeister, DO, chair of the Division of Hospital and Emergency Medication at LVHN. “Good security practices are necessary all yr spherical, however particularly throughout the busy vacation season when our consideration will be distracted. Taking the additional time to do issues proper makes a distinction.”
When you’ve got a adorning emergency, Lehigh Valley Hospital–Carbon's emergency room is open 24/7 and is positioned at 2128 Blakeslee BLVD. Drive E., Lehighton, PA, 18235.
Standing on a ladder whereas hanging Christmas lights can result in a visit to the hospital if individuals are not cautious. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
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