Hanging Christmas Lights? Here’s How To Stay Safe!

Posted on 21st Dec, 2017 | By Lorretta Tatham

Christmas lights are one of the most anticipated aspects of the season for many of us here in the UK – after all, how else are we going to cope with the shorter days? What’s more, there can be some quite creative displays on show. But before you get to setting up yours, it’s important to bear in mind some basic safety tips when hanging your Christmas lights. Look no further though – that’s exactly what we’re covering here today at Browns Safety.

When Climbing The Ladder

Before you go anywhere near setting up your ladder or access equipment, first take a quick glance upwards. If the weather looks to grim or the skies too dark, definitely leave it for a later date. Inclement weather can make both roofs and ladders exceptionally slippery, and drastically increase the danger of falling. Once the weather is clear, we’d definitely recommend a solid roof ladder. These can securely hook onto the roof you’re working on, minimising the chances of it slipping or falling.

If you’re not using a roof ladder, at the very least you should make sure that it’s strong enough to support you. We’ve covered some basic ladder safety tips in winter before – in fact, we’ve covered winter ladder safety more than once! – so make sure to familiarise yourself with those, too. If available, you may even want to consider working with a safety harness to keep yourself secured.

Getting Ready To Turn On The Christmas Lights

Whenever working with electricity – including Christmas lights – it’s vital to minimise your exposure to it. This means that you shouldn’t absolutely shouldn’t turn your Christmas lights on while you’re still hanging them, as the voltage could give you a potentially fatal electric shock. The same is true the other way, too; make sure to turn off your tree lights and other decorations before you go to bed. Not only does it help you to save energy, but it also minimises the chances of an electrical fire breaking out while you sleep.

Speaking of electrical fires, you should ensure that you’re not using any lighting sets with frayed or stripped wires, as these are far more prone to causing fires. As for powering outdoor lights, it’s best to avoid powering them with extension cords coming from inside the house. If you absolutely must, take extra care to ascertain that the power cords aren’t pinched in doors or windows. Similarly keep their connections sealed and dry, and don’t put them in a place where the might get wet or stepped on.

Here at Browns Safety, your safety is our top priority, even – especially! – at Christmas. Our expert Ladder Inspections service can help give you total peace of mind when it comes to your access equipment, and we run a number of safety courses to make sure that you and your staff are totally up to date on relevant best practice and current legislation for your particular job or industry. You can book your place on one of these courses by simply giving us a call on 01282 615517.

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