The Dangers of Holiday Decorating

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ever vigilant for our safety, has completed a study on seasonal spills.  On Thursday, December 9th, the CDC released the results of its study, finding that approxmately 5,800 people a holiday season end up in U.S. emergency rooms because of decorating injuries.  The most serious injuries result from falling off roofs and ladders while hanging or taking down Christmas lights.   People were also injured indoors while decorating, tripping over light strands or ornaments while decorating the tree.

The CDC study encompassed the years 2000-2003 and studied only the holiday season, November 1 through January 31.  The researchers found that men were more likely than women to get hurt  - with men comprising 58 percent of all ER visits because of decorating falls.  Visits to the emergency room rose to 12 percent during the holiday season, compared to 9 percent during the rest of the year.   Most injuries involved broken bones.