It’s the holiday season – a time for decorations and festivities to celebrate the season. Here are some holiday workplace safety guidelines to follow to ensure we all celebrate the season safely.

Holiday Decorations

• Mixing and matching lights can create a fire hazard; keep outside lights outdoors and inside lights indoors.
• Discard any light strings that have cracks, exposed wire or loose connections.
• Do not connect more than three sets of lights to an extension cord.
• Make sure that cords are not running through a walkway, as it creates a tripping hazard.
• Do not close doors or windows on extension cords, and do not run them under rugs or carpeting.
• Make sure all indoor decorations are unplugged at the end of the day. You are responsible for unplugging any decorations that you put up.
• Do not allow any decorations with an open flame, such as candles.
• Make sure decorations do not block doorways, walkways, exit signs or stairwells.
• All decorations should be made of flame-retardant or non-combustible materials.

Food Safety

If you are bringing in food to share with your co-workers, be sure to observe these safety precautions:

• Keep perishable food refrigerated and do not leave out for more than two hours.
• Use serving utensils, even for “finger food,” so that multiple people are not touching it.
• Label your food, especially if it contains peanuts or other ingredients that others may be allergic to.
• Most importantly, always use common sense when bringing decorations or food items into the workplace.

We want everyone to enjoy the holiday season, but safety is always a top priority.