A professional holiday light installer and the Consumer Product Safety Commission urge homeowners to follow safety tips.
COLUMBIA − Hanging holiday lights on buildings and homes can be a dangerous job. Hiring an experienced professional may save homeowners a visit to the emergency room.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission there are about 160 decorating-related injuries each day on average during the holiday season. Almost half of the incidents involve falls, the commission reports.
Jeremy Trimm works for Salter Lawn Service LLC in Ashland. He hangs holiday lights on homes all over mid-Missouri. Trimm said it is important for homeowners to be extra cautious if they decide to hang lights on their homes themselves instead of hiring a professional.
“The biggest tip would be to make sure that you have a good ladder and somebody you can count on to hold the ladder for you. A lot of people don’t use them correctly, that’s why there is so many accidents with the ladder,” Trimm said.
People should be aware of the time of day they are installing lights on a roof. Morning dew can cause the surface of the roof to be more slippery than later in the day, Trimm said.
“Don’t try to get on the roof early in the morning, when there is dew, because any dew [can] make it like ice, so it’s best to wait until at least 9 or 10 in the morning,” Trimm said.
Trimm recommends people to use a cushion on the roof, to move around more comfortably when installing lights.
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“We had the couch cushions those are real good if you are getting off your ladder to get on to the roof,” Trimm said.
One wrong movement on a roof could be detrimental. Trimm said people who are thinking about putting up lights on their own this holiday season should be extra aware of their movements while on a roof.
“Don’t over stretch when you are trying to put a light onto the shingle when you are already on the roof. Don’t try to work too far over your head, when you are on the ladder,” Trimm said.
Trimm said people should also be aware of the potential fire hazards that could be created if lights are incorrectly installed.
“Don’t run everything into one extension cord, and don’t cut the wires and run electrical tape around it. It is just too unsafe, it’ll start a lot of fires that way,” Trimm explained.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission people should not use more than three standardized size sets of lights per single extension cord. People should only use lights that have been tested for safety.
Trimm said holiday light installers should focus on taking their time while installing lights on a roof.