Prince George, B.C. – It’s the time of year when people start getting wired up for the holiday season and there are a few tips to pass along to keep yourself and your property safe.

The BC Safety Authority, an independent group, points out that faulty wiring of seasonal lights can create electrical hazards and result in injury or property damage. BCSA recommends checking lights and other electrical decorations for defects before use and discarding any with cracked sockets, frayed or loose wires. As well you are reminded to turn off all electrical lighting and decorations before leaving the house or going to bed.

BCSA has these tips for lighting your home safely this holiday season:

— Ensure that your lights have Canadian safety approval certification.

— Follow the manufacturer’s directions for installing and using any

electrical decorations.

— Consider switching to LED lights – they produce less

heat which reduces the risk of fire.

— Use the right cord for the location – indoor and outdoor cords are

different.

— Outdoor sockets within 2.5 meters of grade require a ground fault circuit

interrupter (GFCI) receptacle.

— Never run cords under rugs where people will walk over them or through

doorways or windows where they may become pinched – breakage of pinched

wires can cause a fire.

— Never use staples or nails to attach cords to walls or roofs.

— Make sure cords can handle the amperage indicated on your electrical

devices, and avoid multi-outlet adaptor connections which can overload

your outlet.

— Outdoor lights left up year round will likely need to be replaced.

— Keep lights out of the reach of small children.