Tis The Season To Be…Reckless?! Avoid Christmas Injuries With These Top Tips
Everyone knows that Christmas is the season to be jolly. It’s always a privilege to take a few well deserved days off work to relax and recuperate with your loved ones – amongst lots of great food and drink of course. But sometimes, Christmas cannot be as carefree and innocent as it makes out to be. Around 80,000 people in the UK every year require hospital treatment for injuries sustained over the festive period. It probably doesn’t need to be said that a trip to A&E doesn’t exactly do much for that old festive spirit! In order to keep both yourself and your family safe this Christmas, take a look at these tips for how to keep safe and well at the most wonderful time of the year.
Know how to avoid the risks
There are so many different hazards that are posed around Christmas (especially on the day itself) that it’s hard to write a concise list! However, there are some fairly common ones to watch out for. Cooking Christmas dinner is an obvious one as there are lots of hot pans and dishes that can potentially cause injuries such as burns. Try and keep as many people out of the kitchen as you can, especially children. Fairy lights can also pose a number of problems, as around 350 people every year are injured by either tripping over fairy lights, or the lights themselves giving an electric shock. Try and keep your house as clutter-free as possible over Christmas, even if it means tidying up as you go. A lot of injuries also happen due to people falling down the stairs at Christmas, so keep all pathways as clear as possible.
If in doubt, seek professional help
A lot of people are reluctant to visit the hospital over Christmas, due to not wanting to ruin any kind of festive cheer. However, staying at home for the second helpings of Christmas dinner just isn’t worth it when you or a family member could actually be seriously injured. Always visit A&E if a bad fall occurs, or if there has been a serious burn. Hospitals are particularly busy at this time of year but they are prepared for the influx. However, if you are unhappy with the treatment you receive you can speak to a firm such as Ronald Fletcher and Co, who will be able to help you open a medical negligence case.
Learn from your mistakes
If the worst happens and someone in your family does suffer an injury over the festive period, the best thing you can do is to make sure it doesn’t happen again. This could be something as simple as trading in your real candles for battery powered ones. This is something that is definitely worth the swap, as the risk of a house fire, goes up by around 50% during Christmas time. If you were injured whilst decorating your tree, invest in a sturdy set of ladders for next year and always make sure someone else is on hand to make sure you don’t fall. Christmas doesn’t need to be a time for injuries and accidents – so it’s important that you take the necessary precautions.