Holiday Home Safety Tips.

The holidays can invite a lot of potential hazards for your home and loved ones. It is a homeowner’s responsibility to ensure their home is safe for visitors.

To keep your home and loved ones safe this holiday season, try following some of these holiday home safety tips.

• Decorating: Carefully inspect holiday lights and discard any that seem frayed, cracked or that have a loose connection. Always turn off your holiday lights when either leaving the house or going to bed.  If you are buying a live tree, try to purchase a freshly cut tree as they are more resistant to catching on fire.  Make sure to keep your tree watered and away from open candles or flames.
• Safety: Be extra cautious about locking doors and windows when leaving the house.  If you plan on leaving your home for a long period of time, ask a neighbor or friend to watch your house and pick up your mail.  Never have large displays of presents visible through the windows or doors and bring in delivered packages right away.
• Children: Watch children when they are eating and playing.  Keep potentially dangerous toys, food, drinks, household items, choking hazards and other objects out of their reach.
• Cooking: Make sure you are handling food safely.  Cook food to correct temperatures and wash hands and counter surfaces often.
• Pets: Dog bites are a common occurrence during the holidays.  This time of year can be especially stressful for dogs due to changes in their routine and the coming and going of visitors.  Dog owners should monitor their dog’s reaction to visitors.  If the dog seems overly excited, barking, growling or showing any other signs of anxiety or aggression, the dog should be separated from the visitors.

Injuries can occur anywhere and at any time.  Staying safe and healthy this holiday season is something the whole family can take part in together. If you do suffer an injury from a homeowner’s negligence, contact the attorneys at Berger and Green at 412-661-1400 for a free no obligation consultation.  You may be entitled to compensation. We hope you have a happy and healthy holiday season.

Source:

Parents.com, “12 Tips for Holiday Home Safety”