With the holiday season underway, people are feeling festive – including at work. But whether you’re decorating your cubicle or taking part in the office potluck, safety should always remain a top priority. Safety+Health offers the following tips to help prevent injuries while celebrating on the job.
Safe decorating
Don’t stand on a chair to hang decorations. Use a stepladder, and make sure to read and follow the instructions and warnings on the label. And never hang decorations from fire sprinklers – they can prevent the sprinklers from operating properly. OSHA regulations state that stacked materials should never be closer than 18 inches below fire sprinklers.
Planning to string decorative lights or other electrical items in your workspace? The Electrical Safety Foundation International, a nonprofit organization, states that workers should:
- Be sure that all electrical items are certified by a nationally recognized independent testing lab.
- Inspect all lights, decoration and extension cords for damage before using.
- Avoid overloading electrical outlets with too many decorations or electrical devices – they can overheat and cause a fire.
- Never try to make a three-prong plug fit into a two-prong outlet.
- Turn off all indoor and outdoor electrical decorations before leaving.
If you’ll be using an extension cord, ESFI offers additional tips:
- Refrain from placing extension cords in high-traffic areas of your workplace, or under rugs, carpets or furniture.
- Never attempt to extend the length of an extension cord by connecting it to another extension cord.
- Never nail or staple extension cords to walls – doing so may damage existing wire insulation.
- Don’t place extension cords in walls or ceilings, as this can cause the cords to overheat.