Holiday merriment beset by recalls and falls
With 11 days to go until Christmas, the annual decorating season is proving to be problematic, even tragic. Around the country, there have been a number of reported injuries -- and even deaths -- from holiday decorating. In California, a 59-year-old retiree died from injuries sustained when he fell off a ladder (he was probably about nine feet off the ground) as he was getting ready to string lights on his home. In Texas, two people were paralyzed while putting up lights; another died. And in Tennessee, the first winner of the "Nashville Star" reality show, Buddy Jewell, was forced to back out of a country music tour after he broke his wrist when he fell from a ladder while stringing lights.
We’ve said it before; we’ll say it again: Hanging holiday lights can be hazardous to your health. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control, about 5,800 people -- or two to three every hour -- were treated in hospital emergency rooms for fall-related injuries sustained while decorating during each of the 2000, 2001 and 2002 holiday seasons. So be careful -- and follow our tips for using ladders safely and properly.
But it’s not just ladder safety that’s cause for concern this season. Today, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is announcing a recall of 2.3 million sets of Christmas lights sold by the Oklahoma-based importer Hobby Lobby Stores Inc., a chain with 381 stores in 30 states across the country. There are 26 models involved, including mini lights, net lights and icicle lights. The lights pose an electric shock and fire hazard because they have undersized wires that can separate from the plugs and/or light sockets. The CPSC said it is aware of two incidents -- one where a consumer was shocked, another where the wire melted -- but no serious injuries. CPSC spokeswoman Julie Vallese said consumers should check to see if they have these lights, which were sold between June through December this year (a full list of affected lights is available from the CPSC; you can reach Hobby Lobby at 800-326-7931 or online at www.hobbylobby.com). Our advice: Return them for an exchange or refund -- even if it means stripping your tree (don't worry; the kids will be perfectly happy to help you decorate it all over again).
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