Holiday decorating safety -- celebrate the season safely Holiday decorating safety -- celebrate the season safely

Now that the holiday season is here, we know that faculty, staff and students will want to decorate for the holidays. Here are some helpful tips from Mike Strickland, director of Environmental Health & Safety at WSU, to ensure that we can all celebrate the holidays safely.

Decorations may not obstruct an exit, exit sign, doorway, fire extinguisher, fire alarm pull station, smoke detector, heat detector or sprinkler head. Decorations must not be hung from the ceiling. Ceiling-mounted decorations can become entrapment or entanglement hazards that can effect occupant egress.

All decorations must be made of noncombustible material or treated with a flame retardant. Decorations that are treated must have a label attached by the vendor. Because of their combustible nature, fresh cut trees and wreaths, or hay may not be used as decorations inside campus buildings.

All electrical decorations must have an Underwriters Laboratory (UL) listing tag attached and you must follow the manufacturer's recommendations on lengths and number of strands to be plugged into each other.

The burning of candles is not permitted.

Electrical cords may not be placed across or through doorways, under carpets, in walkways or exit paths. The opening and closing action of a door and people walking over the carpet will damage the cord.

All electrical decorations must be unplugged when the office closes in the evening or when the building or office is unoccupied.