Injuries around the home can happen when you least expect it.
SAN ANTONIO — The holiday season is upon us! Even though it is a festive time for tinsel, this time of year can also be a season full of sores. He has today’s Healthy SA.
As the winter holidays approach, we need to think about keeping ourselves safe in order to avoid decorating disasters that could land you in the hospital for the holidays. Jennifer Northway, the University Health director of adult and pediatric injury prevention told us, “Believe it or not, adults are really susceptible to fall injuries as we gear up and get closer to the holidays.”
Ladders are a huge source of falls. Northway added, “A ladder that not only has a few rungs for you to get up higher, but also has a way for you to hold on as you’re on that top rung and has sturdy bottoms.”
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says there are about 160 Christmas decorating-related injuries every day during the holiday season. Nearly half of those incidents involve falls. And in the 2023 holiday season, close to 15,000 people were treated in emergency rooms due to holiday decorating-related injuries.
Extension cords create holiday hazards too. Make sure cords meant for outdoor use are the only ones you use outside, and don’t overload circuits with too many cords. “We want to encourage you to get one of these cord winders so that any excess cording can be kept secure to and out of the way,” said Northway.
If you’re cooking outside, keep kids away from the grill, and take extra care when frying a turkey. Northway said, “We don’t want to take any frozen food and put it into that hot oil that could create an explosion. And, not only burns, but could create a fire situation.”
And don’t try to be that guy that insists he can do it all in one trip. Northway stressed, “That one trip up the ladder can actually result in that one trip to the emergency department. We need folks to be mindful, take their time, and if it requires multiple trips, that’s the safest thing to do.”