- In December last year, the company received 96 alerts for incidents associated with handling Christmas decorations. The figure represents a slight decrease compared to the same date in 2021, which shows a greater awareness of people on this issue. However, efforts are still needed to reach a zero accident rate, so the company reinforces the delivery of recommendations and calls for self-care and caution.
Santiago, December 05, 2023 - Many families are already preparing their homes to celebrate Christmas by putting up a tree and decorating their houses with lights and accessories. However, the risks that this presents cannot be ignored, especially those related to possible fires and electrocutions caused by bad electrical connections.
In fact, every year there are cases of children and adults who suffer burns or electrocutions due to contact with the current: last year, during December, Enel Distribución received 96 calls related to electrical accidents due to overloading inside homes, resulting in fires or the beginning of fires. The figure represents a decrease of 6% compared to the same date in 2021, showing a greater awareness of the risks associated with improper handling of Christmas decorations.
In this context, Enel Distribución presented this morning its traditional preventive campaign "Safe Christmas", with demonstrations of fire principles associated with improper handling of Christmas decorations. In addition, the company called for prevention and self-care, and gave a series of practical recommendations aimed at avoiding electrical accidents during these holidays, such as using certified lights, preferring garlands of thick wire or avoiding decorating trees in outdoor gardens.
The "Safe Christmas" campaign seeks to better prepare people and provide the necessary information to reduce electrical accidents, risks of electrocution and fires inside homes that can be caused by using Christmas arrangements, sockets, triples, extension cords, light bulbs, garlands, among others, without taking the necessary precautions.
Recommendations
Acquire lights that are certified by an organization authorized by the Superintendence of Electricity and Fuels (SEC). In this way, you will illuminate a Christmas tree with a safe product that will not overheat or cause electrical problems that can lead to serious accidents.
Buy garlands of thick cable, those of thin cable are cut, crack or melt product of the passage of the current, and if you use the same ones of the previous year, make sure that the cables do not have cuts or fissures. Otherwise, discard them.
Do not overload the electrical installation of the house with excessive Christmas decorations, in order to avoid overheating the cables, the lights and the tree.
Avoid decorating trees in outdoor gardens, since these areas are usually watered and keep humidity, which increases the probability of electrocution.
Be cautious with the use and installation of extension cords and slippers. Not only is there a risk of overloading, but children and pets can become entangled and risk electrocution.
It is important to point out that the manipulation of uncertified Christmas decorations -both inside and outside homes- not only causes possible electrocutions or fires, but also endangers the community's electricity supply when attempts are made to hang garlands, using poles and power lines as support. In figures, in December last year, 59 failures were recorded in the electrical network associated with improper handling of Christmas decorations.
Finally, for the end of the year celebrations, the public is called upon not to use the so-called fancy sparklers - better known as cotillion or "metallic mesh" - close to electrical networks and installations, as they could impact the power lines and generate short circuits.
More tips and information on the web site https://www.enel.cl/es/conoce-enel/navidad-segura.html