3 Tips to Keep Your Customers Safe This Holiday Season

From falling off ladders to trees catching fire, our favorite holiday movies jokingly depict the perils of holiday decorating. In real life, the dangers are substantial. Make sure your customers stay safe this year by sharing safety tips when selling different holiday decor items. WTOV9, an Indianapolis news station, recently released Tips For Safe Holiday Decorating, and the American Red Cross also offers best practices to share with your customers to stay safe while decorating this holiday season.

1. Lights. When recommending lights, LED is the way to go. They use less electricity, last longer and are environmentally friendly. Tell your customers to string no more than three strands per extension cord and always check for frayed or broken wires. Also, encourage customers to plug all lighted decorations into power strips with a breaker to avoid blown fuse boxes.
2. Trees. Whether you are selling an artificial or live tree to a customer, establish the safety precautions for each, especially if it is their first time with this particular type of tree. For artificial trees, recommend one with a fire-resistant label, and inform your customers that they should keep it away from fireplaces, radiators and other sources of heat. When selling live trees, emphasize the need to keep the tree well-watered to avoid a potential fire hazard. 
3. Ladders. A dangerous tool not only during the holiday season but year-round, retailers should always try to share ladder safety best practices. Users should make sure they have a stable placement, wear shoes with good traction and avoid sitting on the top step. It also helps to have a partner holding the ladder, or close by in case help is needed. Lastly, the best way to avoid ladder accidents is to always move the ladder instead of reaching or stretching, despite how inconvenient this might feel. 

Safety is a concern no matter the time of year. Learn more safety best practices for fire safety here and ladder safety here.