SafeStart Advent Calendar!

At SafeStart, we believe that big changes in safety can happen by changing simple everyday habits for the better. So, to help you on your way this coming festive season, we’ve created a special advent calendar packed with 25 daily tips to help you, your family and friends keep a little safer as the year draws to a close.

While you’re doing that, perhaps you have a safety message that you would like to share with the world too? If so, send it via our global safety message wallSAFER TODAY FOR A BETTER TOMORROW – and help spread the idea of a safer world for all.

PS. Keep checking the advent calendar for the chance to download Larry Wilson’s ebook, Defenseless Moments, as a free Christmas present from us!

 

– Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly when handling food.
– Prepare dishes that don’t require cooking before handling raw meat to reduce cross-contamination.
– Do not rinse raw meat and poultry before cooking.
– Keep meat, poultry, seafood, and egg foods separated from other foods in the fridge.
– Use separate cutting boards for raw meat and cooked or ready-to-eat items.
– Use a food thermometer to ensure that the meat is fully cooked.
– Bring sauces, soups and gravies to a rolling boil when reheating.
– Refrigerate food within two hours of cooking.
– Remember that most leftovers are safe for four days in the refrigerator.
– Do not store cleaning products or chemicals near food.

 

– Always make sure you are stepping on a stable surface.

– Don’t climb onto furniture. Use a stool or a ladder.

– Don’t place ladders on slippery surfaces or rugs.

– Clear up the area around the ladder to prevent additional injuries if you do fall off.

– Have someone for backup, especially if you have to decorate very high places.

– If you’re rushing or getting frustrated with the decorations, you’re more likely to get hurt. Consider your state of mind and ask for help if the job feels a little overwhelming.

– Keep your lighted candles in a sturdy candle holder to prevent them from being knocked over.

– Make sure the flame is fully extinguished when you leave the room.

– Never put real candles on your Christmas tree.

– Don’t place your tree close to a heat source.

– Never leave your cooking pots and pans unattended.

– Don’t put wrapping paper in the fireplace.

– You should always have a fire extinguisher on-hand in the event a small fire breaks out.

– Don’t be complacent around fire. Even a small flame can spread in seconds.

– Use lights with an official safety certification.

– Consider using LED holiday lights as they use less power and create less heat.

– Inspect the lights to ensure they are not frayed or torn. Just because your lights have served you for years, doesn’t mean they don’t need a thorough once-over. Complacency and electricity are not a good mix.

– Never use electric lights on a metallic tree.

– Don’t overload sockets.

– Unplug decorations for the night and when you are away from home. Leaving them on is a dangerous habit. Alternatively, consider plugging them into timers.

– Never touch any electric wiring when you have wet hands.

 

– Cuts or lacerations while preparing a meal or carving a turkey.

– Burns – for example, people sometimes forget that a pan is hot or that they could get splashed with hot oil.

– Slips and falls—dropped objects and pieces of food or splashes of grease or water, mixed with crowded kitchens and a larger than usual number of objects cluttering the area are a perfect mix for a slip and fall.

– Remember to think about your state of mind regularly and slow down or calm down before handling sharp or hot objects.