Christmas is a time for celebration but is also a potentially dangerous period
Many of the things we enjoy over the Christmas period, such as fairy lights, candles, trees and decorations, can all be fire hazards when proper care is not taken. Follow our Christmas Fire Safety Tips to make sure you and your business stay safe this Christmas.
1. Christmas Lights
Don’t overload plug sockets with Christmas lights and check that they conform to the British Standard (BS EN 60598). Always switch them off when you leave the premises unattended.
2. Decorations
Consider the risk of fire hazards when putting up Christmas decorations; most decorations such as tinsel, paper banners and candles are fairly combustible. Therefore, to keep the risk of fire at a minimum, make sure they’re positioned appropriately and never leave candles burning unattended.
3. Christmas Trees
Choose the location for your Christmas tree carefully, away from any heat source and ensuring the tree does not compromise any escape routes from the building. It may be useful to review your Fire Risk Assessment to ensure risks are not posed.
4. Fire Alarm Testing
Although it’s a busy time of year and some people may already be on holiday, it is no excuse to take a break from testing your fire alarms. Your fire alarms should be tested regularly and the holiday period is no exception.
5. In Case of Emergency
Nobody wants to deal with a fire around Christmas time but if your business does encounter a fire, you need to make sure you’re fully equipped to fight it if needed. Read our Fire Extinguisher Guide which explains each type of Portable Fire Extinguisher and how to use it in case of an emergency.
In addition to our Christmas Fire Safety Tips, we have put together some Christmas Security Tips to keep your business safe over the festive period.