# 1 Don’t stress
The year-end closure of companies is already exploded. In most of the cases, this means tight deadlines and increased workload, which should be solved with fewer and fewer colleagues as the holiday season is coming. Many people overcomplicate life also with the topics of “what to give as a gift” and “what should be the menu”. The welcomed or less expected mandatory, time consuming programs, such as corporate Christmas party or the concerts and performances of relatives and friends come as a bonus.
For those who think that the description above is too familiar, we advise to try to manage and organize the whole Christmas period as stressfree as possible.
Don’t stress yourself too much, the holiday season is not about that! Let’s try to do our best on all fronts, but also accept that Christmas will be special due to the time we spend with family and friends. Doesn’t matter if you have less type of cookies or some housework remains for January.
Safe Christmas – Don’t stress – Safety Centrum – Fire and work safety
# 2 Safe Christmas Campaign
This is also the best time to revive the knowledge the colleagues gathered on the last HSE training. Because everyone is in a hurry, working under time pressure, so it’s more likely to make mistakes and have an accident at work. It is a good idea to create an awareness-raising communication campaign from the main messages of fire and occupational health education, which can then be posted in the manufacturing hub and in the offices as well.
Safe Christmas – Campaign – Safety Centrum – Fire and work safety
# 3 Prepare your office and home pharmacy boxes
As pharmacies are closed for several days during the holidays, it is worth thinking about what you might need during the holidays. In the office, if you have a common Christmas tree decoration, a year-end party, and if you have more things to do than usual, you may want to buy extra wound patches, disinfectants, bandages, blood pressure gauges and antihypertensives. In case of the home pharmacy box the advice is the same. In addition to the vitamins and medicines you are constantly taking, there are a few things that you might want to purchase due to Christmas. In this Wikipedia article you will find a quite detailed list of recommended contents for your home pharmacy.
Safe Christmas – Prepare the first aid boxes – Safety Centrum – Fire and work safety
# 4 Internal audit of labor and fire protection
According to a recommendation available here, colleagues in charge on HSE area are advised to have a small internal audit as the holidays approach, where they can verify the availability and quality of security-critical assets. Thinking of things like fire extinguisher or first aid kit. Unfortunately, during the year end rush mentioned above, these may be more necessary. It is also worth considering whether there is a sufficient number of first aiders and fire marshalls in the quietest periods. If not, it is worth starting next year with first aid training and the appointment of fire marshalls.
# 5 Check the quality of Christmas lightnings – before the holidays
If the light garland is very old or low quality, it is worth checking the operation before the holidays. It is important that the cable has to be undamaged and the small bulbs shouldn’t get hot even in case of long hours of operation. When you place the lantern in the office, it is worth checking that there is no risk of tripping anywhere, no curtains, paper, dry flowers nearby. You should also discuss with your colleagues that the last one who leaves should pull out the light bulbs. This is also important from the environment point of view. While at home, we can advise you on the top of the above mentioned that the lightning garlang should be not available for dogs because they will chew it pull down. A malfunctioning chandelier can easily be short-circuited, shock anyone, or worse, cause a fire.
Safe Christmas – Check the lightning – Safety Centrum – Fire and work safety
# 6 Kitchen Injury
As Christmas approaches, kitchen injuries will increase noticeably. We are preparing for the year-end party with guests and relatives coming; so we spend much more time in the kitchen than usual. In these cases, burns and cuts are usually multiplied. Don’t undertake too much! Just try to prepare what you can do easily with your heart, and believe me, cookies from pastry shop are also not bad.
Safe Christmas – Kitchen injuries – Safety Centrum – Fire and work safety
# 7 Don’t leave burning candles unattended
Unfortunately, around Christmas, the number of fires is also increasing. But surprisingly, according to a report by Groupama Insurance last year, most cases occure are not at Christmas, but rather a few days after. During the holidays, people are at home a lot, and their attention is still focused on the tree and the festive decoration. However, in the days after Christmas and early January, when the tree and the advent wreath is drier and the festive devotion fades away, we tend to leave the burning candle in the apartment or put the sparkler too close to the dried ornaments. This inattention can cause serious fires in a few seconds, so we strongly encourage everyone to never use or leave any burning or sparkling ornaments unattended.
Safe Christmas – Don’t leave burning candles unattended – Safety Centrum – Fire and work safety
# 8 Wood Carving
Another typical form of injury between December 23 and 25 is arm and leg injuries caused by axes and knives. If you indeed want to cut and use a live tree, you may want to leave the trunk to the vendor. Take your Christmas tree stand with you to shop! 🙂
Safe Christmas – Wood carving – Safety Centrum – Fire and work safety
# 9 Zero tolerance
In many cases, Christmas celebration is accompanied by a good wine or the home made spirit of the landlord. The corporate year-end party is the epicenter of unlimited alcohol consumption. This may not be a problem in itself, but be sure to follow the zero tolerance rule. If you drink alcohol do not drive! Call a taxi, use the chauffeur service, walk, take the bus, sleep there. There are many solutions. Driving under the influence of alcohol is risking your life, your passengers’ health, and the other ones sitting in car in front of you.
Safe Christmas – Zero tolerance – Safety Centrum – Fire and work safety
# 10 Increased sense of loneliness
Finally, a more specific Christmas problem: the feeling of loneliness. It is an old experience that our abandoned, lonely fellows and colleagues experience their loneliness multiplied and magnified on the Day of Love. If such people are living or working in our environment, it may be worth and nice to invite them for a bowl of food, a few slices of cake and have a few good words to ease their feeling of rejection.
Safe Christmas – Increased sense of loneliness – Safety Centrum – Fire and work safety
+1 if you have a living Christmas tree, water it!
Why? I think this video tells more than 1000 words. Check the difference between watered and dry trees.