As you all know we are fast approaching the silly season. Christmas and New Years can seem like its all fun and games but the fact is, we let our guard down. Around 25% of workplace fatalities happen in November and December and our Emergency Departments are 9% busier than the rest of the year. Below are a few hints and safety tips to keeping your family and yourselves safe this year.
Gifts
Make sure you remember to buy batteries so you aren’t tempted to take the ones from smoke alarms or safety devices.
Dispose of small coin sized batteries properly so kids don’t get a hold of them. They are really dangerous and easily to swallow.
Open presents carefully. Lots of injuries occur trying to open gifts with sharp knives.
Cooking
Give yourself plenty of time to prepare meals. Rushing contributes to many burns, spills and slips in the kitchen.
If a spill occurs, ensure you clean it up straight away to avoid slips.
Ensure you defrost food safely and store food in the fridge when not in use. Food poisoning is not a laughing matter.
Lights and Decorations
Keep decorations away from fires and light fittings to avoid starting fires.
Never leave candles unattended.
Turn off fairy lights when you aren’t home. They have been known to start fires.
It might be a good year to replace your old fairy lights. New ones usually come with update on safety features.
Instead of standing on furniture to hang decorations, choose to use a ladder instead so you have better stability and less chance of injuring yourself from a fall.
Alcohol
It is recommended that you only consume 4 standard drinks in any one sitting.
You should eat before and during a drinking session.
Choose drinks that have a lower alcohol percentage and space them out with water or non-alcoholic beverages.
When going out, organise a lift home or assign a designated driver.
Road Trips
Make sure you have plenty of rest before you leave and take turns driving.
Stick to the speed limit.
Make sure you have thoroughly checked out the vehicle or even get it serviced.
Ensure your house is secured before you leave.
WDIS WA hope you find the above safety tips useful. We hope you have an amazing holiday and look forward to working with you in the new year.
