Every December, you hear dozens of ridiculous stories about health and safety and how it's ruining Christmas in one way or another. People are told that they can't put up decorations, throw snowballs, put coins in Christmas puddings, and so forth. All of this is nonsense; in fact, no less an authority than the HSE itself has published a list of safety 'myths' that circulate every Christmas.
As always, though, the biggest problem with these stories is the fact that they devalue health and safety as a whole, drawing attention away from real dangers that are actually worth thinking about. We're not here today to talk about snowballs and sixpences, but the holiday season does bring with it a few genuine safety hazards, and that's what we'd like to highlight in this blog post.
Here, then, are 5 simple safety tips for you and your family to bear in mind this December:
- Watch out for bad weather. The 'most wonderful time of the year' coincides with some of the nastiest - and most unpredictable - weather we see here in the UK. Pay attention to weather warnings, be cautious around icy surfaces, and if it snows, don't drive anywhere unless you really need to.
- Make sure the turkey is properly cooked. Food poisoning is sadly quite common during the holidays. If you're in charge of cooking the Christmas dinner this year, make absolutely sure that EVERYTHING is properly cooked before you serve it up. Don't let a pink bit of meat ruin your entire day!
- Don't drink too much. While we're on the subject of poisoning, let's take a moment to talk about alcohol poisoning - we all enjoy a couple of drinks on Christmas night, but go too far and your evening in front of the TV could become a night in A&E.
- Be careful with naked flames. What would Christmas be without a few candles (not to mention the open fire on which you're roasting those chestnuts)? Naked flames are fine, but keep them away from flammable items and be sure to blow out the candles when you leave the room.
- Don't hurt yourself while decorating at height. Yes, okay, we had to include one point about the decorations. The only real danger here is height: if you're putting up lights or tinsel in a high-up, hard-to-reach area, be sure to use a secure stepladder rather than balancing on a wobbly chair.
Have a merry Christmas, and be sure to stay safe!
