This week the European Commission came out with a report saying 30% of the Christmas lights they sampled in parts of Europe pose a “serious safety risk.” And by “serious safety risk” they mean “high risk of electric shock” and “overheating and fire.” THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR HOLIDAY CHEER.
The sampling of Christmas lights came from Hungary, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Netherlands. So what about the U.S.? How safe are our lights?
I asked Nychelle Fleming, Spokesperson for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission what the deal was. Here’s what she wrote back:
The safety commission is coming out with their own review of holiday related products next week, so stay tuned for more info on that.- Indoors or outside, DO use only lights that have been tested for safety by a nationally-recognized testing laboratory, such as UL or ETL/ITSNA. Use only newer lights that have thicker wiring and safety fuses to prevent the wires from overheating.
- Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Throw out damaged sets.- If using an extension cord, DO make sure it is rated for the intended use.
- DON’T use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.- When using lights outdoors, DO check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use and only plug them into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protected receptacle or a portable GFCI.
- DO turn off all holiday lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.
Also – I asked her about the time my brother had so many Christmas lights hooked up to his outlets and various power strips that the entire house circuit would blow if someone turned on the bathroom light. She said don’t do that, either. Dangerous.
The house looked like one of these (click on the image):
Tags: Electricity, Electronic Art, Energy, Feedblog, Home Energy Use
comments ( )