As the office Christmas tree come out the cupboard and workplaces colleagues pluck out a hat whom they are buying secret santa for this year, we thought that it would be worthwhile covering some of the health and safety basics so that you can indeed have a Merry and safe! workplace Christmas.

1. Practice Fire Safety

How are your Christmas lights looking? According to the NHS more than 80,000 people a year need hospital treatment for injuries such as falls, cuts, and burns during the festive period,

• Check that decorations are flame resistant or flame retardant
• Candles generally are a “no no” in the workplace
• If string lights look worm, changing them is the right thing to do
• If you have a a tree consider placing the tree at least 3 feet away from other sources of heat
• If you are purchasing an artificial tree ensure the tree is are labelled “fire resistant.”
• Turn off electric decorations out of hours
• Don’t overload extension cords or power strip

2. Health & Safety

Using stepladders to set up decorations?

Consider how high you’ll be climbing and pick the proper ladder for the task.

• Be sure that the base of the ladder is placed on a firm surface that isn’t slippery or wet
• When climbing maintain 3 points of contact: with two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand.
• Using an extension ladder, make sure it extends 3 feet above the platform
• Always wear slip-resistant shoes to reduce the risk of falling

Trip Hazards, or blocking fire exits?

It’s also worth considering if decorations present an increased trip hazard. Are they placed in a safe location and do not block any fire exits?

How about electrical items?

• Consider using power sockets that are protected by circuit breakers
• Using external lights? Ensure they are water safe! And are fastened securely to prevent dislodging in the wind
• Keep decorations at least 5 metres away from power lines
• Be careful to not damage the cord’s insulation, for example that the cable doesn’t get compressed through doors or windows

3. COVID Concerns at Christmas Parties

With new variants of Covid increasing you may consider:

• Reviewing government guidelines closer to the date
• Finding a less-busy venue for any party – Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated spaces
• Considering encouraging staff to take lateral flow tests before the event
• Wash hands frequently during the event
• Continue wearing face masks in public areas, on public transport and in shared transport to and from venues

For Further guidance, consider contacting HSM. We have a wide range of package to suit a variety of organisations.