THE VALUED VOICE

The holiday season has begun! While decorating is one of the best ways to get into the festive spirit, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates there are more than 5,800 injuries per year from holiday decorating. The U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) found in 2022, there were about 160 decorating related injuries each day during the holiday season. Among these decorating injuries, almost 50% are incidents involving a fall. The 2022 holiday season saw roughly 14,800 patients in emergency departments due to decorating-related injuries. It is important to remember that safety measures should be taken. Most injuries associated with celebrating the holidays can be prevented. People are urged to put safety into practice while purchasing toys for children, cooking that holiday feast or decorating your home.
 
The WHA Information Center analyzed holiday injury claims from 2018 through June 2023. Emergency department visits accounted for 59% of total holiday-related injury visits. The average age of a person visiting the emergency department for a holiday-related injury was 40 years old. The ZIP codes with the highest visit counts for a holiday-related injury were in Milwaukee County. Males had more visits to the emergency room for holiday-related injuries than females. 


 
Here are some safety tips to make your holiday season: 
 

• Keep your Christmas tree watered and away from heat sources.
• Ensure breakable and sharp decorations are kept out of reach of small children.
• When using a ladder, place it on a firm and level ground. Have another person hold on and keep the ladder steady when in use.
• Place burning candles away from flammable objects and on a stable surface.
• Check holiday lights for damage and never overload electrical outlets.
• Follow age guidance and other safety information on toy packaging and choose toys that match each child's interests and abilities.