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 wall – SAFER 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.
