Safety for our employees at work and safety for our customers is our priority. Throughout the year, we host a variety of programs to encourage safe practices, including presenting theater performances for children, hosting a traveling safety exhibit and publishing a children’s book.

This time of year, as we adorn our communities and homes with colorful lights and cheerful decorations, it’s important to keep safety in mind. According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are 160 decorating-related injuries every day during the holiday season.

We’ve put together a list of eight simple tips to help you stay safe and jolly:

• Decorate by daylight – Always hang decorations during daylight hours.
• Care for your cords – Keep your cords clean and unharmed. Use plastic or insulated clips to secure your cords instead of nails, screws or tacks. Make sure all outdoor cords and plugs are weatherproof.
• Look for damage – Throw out any damaged light strands and replace them with LED strands. Check wall sockets, wires and any loose connections.
• Lighten the load – Be mindful of your electrical load. Follow manufacturer guidelines for how many sets of lights can be safely connected to your outlets and extension cords.
• Ladder matters – Always carry ladders parallel to the ground and look up for power lines before positioning your ladder.
• Space it out – Place holiday trees, candles and decorations at least three feet from fireplaces, portable heaters, radiators, heat vents and candles. You, your decorations and your equipment should always be at least 10 feet from power lines.
• Night’s out, lights out – Turn off your holiday lights and decorations before leaving home and prior to going to bed.
• Direct traffic – Avoid running extension cords under rugs or in high traffic areas.

The holidays are meant to be merry and bright, and we want you to spend these moments with those who mean the most to you. Following these tips will help keep you safe and keep your focus on the season.