Thanksgiving is a time for celebration and, for many people, a time to spend time with others. While food and fun are part of the equation, we want to make sure everyone stays safe this year. Here are simple steps you can take to reduce your risk of injury this holiday:
- Practice food safety. If you’re working with raw meat or eggs, wash surfaces and your hands after handling these products. Make sure any meat is heated to the appropriate temperature. Use a meat thermometer to check. Always serve hot food hot and cold food cool, putting away leftovers promptly.
- Check your décor. Never use electric decorations that have worn cords or require long extension cords. Replace any candle decorations with LED lights, which are cooler and much safer. Always check all your decorations for any sharp edges or small parts that could pose a risk to pets or children. Even then, keep decorations away from the floor (where they can pose a tripping hazard) or high up where children and pets can’t reach them.
Plan for supervision of children. If there will be small children at your holiday event, make sure they stay supervised at all times. You might want to rotate groups of older children or adults to keep smaller kids entertained, so they don’t wander off and injure themselves. - Reduce your risk of fires. Check your fire alarms and carbon dioxide detectors before the holidays and always keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen when you’re preparing large holiday meals. Review your fire escape route with family and any guests, just in case. Never leave open flames or cooking unattended, even for a few minutes. That’s enough time to cause a serious fire and burn injuries.
- Drink responsibly. If you’ll be attended someone’s Thanksgiving event, have a way to get home safely if you may be drinking (even if you don’t think you’ll be drinking). Just in case, have some money for a cab or a hotel room or designate a driver. If you’ll be serving alcohol at your event, make sure your guests can get some safe. Be ready to offer someone a place for the night or a safe ride home if they need it. Serve drinks earlier in the night, stopping serving after a few hours.
- Keep pets safe, too. The change in routine, lots of guests, and new decorations and foods can be stressful for pets. This can lead to bites and acting out. Unsupervised pets can also chew on holiday food or decorations, prompting a visit to the vet. It can be safest to keep your pet in a separate part of your home, away from guests and noise. Leave them a favorite toy, water, and food, and check in often.
Of course, injuries don’t take a holiday. Even with due care on your part, a reckless driver or an unsafe product can cause injury. Fortunately, the phone lines at Flaxman Law Group are available 24/7 if you’d like to schedule a free, no obligation consultation. Just call us at 866-352-9626 or contact us online if you have been injured to schedule a free, no obligation case consultation with a personal injury attorney.