The Revenge of the Christmas Tree

Ah, the joyous Holiday Season begins � a time for rampant illness (cue flu season), unsportsmanlike behavior* (never step foot in malls and big box stores), and increased levels of non-work-related injuries and illnesses (decorating and getting the house ready for guests).

I�ve come to one iron-clad conclusion about the whole holiday thing: the Christmas trees are getting revenge. It could be because the trees are fed up with only being associated with this winter holiday hoopla, or because they resent having to die and be used as decoration, or because they don�t want to spend their last living weeks laden with lights and tinsel and heavy ornaments. 

I�ll give the disclaimer that I don�t decorate for the holidays anymore, except for a smallish wooden wreath placed somewhere in the front room and three stockings, one for me, one for the Exceptional Spouse, and one for the dog. I will admit that having a 100+ pound Alaskan Malamute with a penchant for gnawing on ornaments was the original reason we stopped decorating.

So, why are the Christmas trees trying to get revenge?

Let�s start with the tree itself � do you purchase a real live tree, or an artificial one? Here�s the pros and cons of each related to safety and indoor air quality.

Real Live Tree

Pro:

• You get that pine-like smell to enjoy
• Can be recyclable (i.e., turned into mulch)
• Many trees come from local �plantations� so you�re likely buying local

Con:

• Many people find the pine-like odor to be irritating
• Someone had to grow and then kill a tree that is only used for 4 weeks or so
• Trees dry out and can contribute to the overall fire hazard of the holidays
• Trees harbor allergens like pollens, herbicides, fertilizers, mold, and pests

Artificial Tree

Pro:

• Usually listed as �flame resistant� and boughs made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
• Can be re-used year after year if they are put away and stored correctly
• Do not inherently contain allergens like pollens, herbicides, fertilizers, mold, and pests

Con:

• The flame resistant nature can also be from addition of flame retardant chemicals
• Are not recyclable � just end up in the landfill when you buy a new one
• Can easily accumulate heavy dust, pests, mold, etc. if not put away and stored correctly
• Will emit dioxins and other chemicals if they catch on fire
• Some studies also show that the trees release dioxins over time
• Some of the trees may also contain phthalates, lead, and other hazardous chemicals

According to Rodale�s Organic Life: �Real trees win. Why pollute your Christmas with toxic plastics and hazardous heavy metals? The durability and convenience of fake Christmas trees may make them more attractive than the alternative of buying a new tree every year, but a life-cycle analysis conducted in Canada found that you'd need to use your fake tree for 20 years for it to be considered more environmentally friendly than your yearly evergreen.�

Regardless, the cons seem to outweigh the pros in either case. Solution? Maybe move past this �essential� aspect of the holiday season and choose not to buy a tree, live or otherwise.

For a pretty interesting history of Christmas trees, see this video and article from The History Channel.

Putting Up Your Tree, a.k.a. Tree Torture

Let�s move on to the process of putting up your Christmas tree. In the case of real live trees, you either go to a lot and find one that suits you, or go chop one down yourself. Then you find a way to plop it into or on top of your car, drive it home, and wrangle it into the chosen room.

Some hazards:

• Fighting with your fellow humans (verbal or otherwise) over the �perfect tree�
• Impairing your visibility (front and rear) from tree boughs akimbo atop or inside your car
• Lifting injuries (from lot to car, from car to house, etc.)
• Not properly securing your tree atop your car, resulting in the tree careening down the road when it breaks loose of the cheap bindings you used

If you put the tree inside your vehicle, you have likely released all the allergens (pollen, mold spores, pests) into your car, such that the allergens coat the seats and sides of the vehicle. This means that every time you or your kids get into the car, you�ll re-disturb all the microscopic particles, releasing them into the air. Pine is a well-established sensitizer as well, so you�ll roll into work feeling crummy and sneezy, wondering why it is that you �always feel sick at work� during the holidays. Don�t be that person. :)

The same issue arises when you�re wrangling the tree through your front door or garage and into whichever room you designated. You�re getting a nice face full of needles, pollen, mold, and whatever else is on that tree while shaking and dragging the tree into position. The particles are released into the room and will be there long past the time you recycle your tree.

So, now you have the tree in the designated room. You�re likely going to take the somewhat heavy tree and put it into a tree torture device tree stand, where there is just enough water to keep it alive (provided you remember to refill it) and large screws are applied to the trunk to keep it upright. However, these tree stands are usually made of cheap plastic or metal and may not be hardy enough for the tree you�ve selected. The tree may not be secure in its base and fall over. The stands usually state something like �for 10-foot trees, ideal for 6-inch trunk� rather than indicating the weight limit the stand can effectively support.

Keeping your tree well-watered during the holidays is important for fire safety and aesthetics. NFPA has a dramatic video showing the difference in fire spread between a dry tree and a well-watered tree. An alternate version of the NFPA video has other safety ideas for holiday decorating.

Your tree is up, installed in its stand, and is ready to be decorated. The anthropomorphized tree is chuckling to itself (when it isn�t wincing from the liberally applied steel screws at its base) as it watches you try to set up your too-short ladder to place the hideous tree-topper your son made 24 years ago. The chuckles turn to nervous laughter as you wrap the tree in cheap strands of lights � it wonders if you understand that heat + electrical malfunctions + combustible material = fire. The nervous laughter turns to a whimper when you load it down with heavy ornaments and garlands. The whimper turns to despair as you spray the tips of its boughs with artificial snow from an aerosol can.

CDC�s Fall-Related Injuries During the Holiday Season details the types and causes of fall-related injuries:  �The majority of falls were from ladders (e.g., while hanging holiday lights), followed by roofs (e.g., while mounting an artificial Christmas tree on the roof), furniture (e.g., while standing on a table decorating a Christmas tree, standing on a chair hanging holiday decorations, or standing on a step stool when hanging a tree topper), stairs, and porches. Other falls were caused by tripping over or slipping on holiday-related objects (e.g., tree skirts or ornaments). Among 46% of injured persons, injuries occurred to the extremities (i.e., arm/hand and leg/foot); most persons (88%) examined in EDs were treated and released, and 12% were hospitalized. Fractures were the most commonly reported injury (34%); approximately half (51%) of the fractures were caused by falls from ladders. Of those who fell from ladders, nearly half (47%) were hospitalized.�

NFPA also has some safety-related information associated with Christmas trees and holiday lights.

The strands of lights you install on the tree should be UL-listed and inspected prior to installation, checking for burnt out or broken bulbs, nicks in the electrical insulation, and other potential issues. Remember that older strands of lights frequently have lead coatings and are made of PVC. The ornaments you select may have heavy dust (you meant to clean them last year but became too busy), and may also contain irritating or dangerous metals (lead and nickel) and chemicals, either in the paints or in the ornament itself.

Garlands and tinsel are also frequently made with PVC and are excellent collectors of dust and other potential allergens. On to the artificial snow, which usually comes in an aerosol can. There is a silicone-based artificial snow spray that looks pretty intriguing, and it has a less-scary list of chemicals in its Safety Data Sheet.  A common type of artificial snow spray is this: �Santa� brand snow.

Image courtesy of The Home Depot - showing 18 oz "Santa" Brand Spray Snow

A quick perusal of the Safety Data Sheet for the �Santa� brand snow shows the following:

• Contains butane, propane, and calcium carbonate (to give it that nice white color)
• Ingestion is �possible, but considered unlikely� (manufacturer has not met children or dogs)
• �Not recommended for use by anyone with history of asthma or other respiratory problems, or anyone who is ultra-sensitive to airborne particles.� (ultra-sensitive? Would love to see that definition) 
• �Keep away from heat, sparks, flame, and other sources of ignition� (so, don�t spray on your tree if it has lights?)
• �When using indoors, keep windows and doors open until fumes dissipate.� (this is unlikely in winter)
• Toxicological Information: �No Data Available�� (ellipses are theirs, not mine)

Not a chemist? Butane is the liquid inside your lighter (vapor catches fire easily) and propane is used as fuel in stoves, heaters, and barbecues (vapor also catches fire easily).

If you�re thinking that perhaps you�ll just try an artificial tree instead, just remember that the trees are currently not recyclable, they are made of PVC (and so are many of the items decorating your tree), and can catch on fire just like real live trees. The artificial trees with built-in lights are also potentially dangerous since it is difficult to inspect the tree and lights for electrical safety before putting the tree up.

Underwriters Laboratories has a �Christmas Tree Safety� video if you�re still bound and determined to do the holiday tree thing. The Industrious Hygienist has done a risk assessment and determined the inherent risks of Christmas trees outweigh the short-lived benefits.

More holiday-themed safety posts and the traditional Industrious Hygienist Holiday Manga coming soon!

* Fezzik in The Princess Bride (1987): �My way is not very sportsmanlike.� 

Top 10 Tips for Avoiding Falls from a Ladder

?????

As part of the Industrious Hygienist's participation in National Safety Month, I signed up to receive the free posters, fact sheets, and references from the National Safety Council (NSC). I like free stuff!

The "free stuff" includes weekly crossword puzzles to test your knowledge of what you were supposed to learn this week. Alternatively, you could provide your employees with the crossword puzzles to test their knowledge of industry standard safety practices. 

Week 1 of National Safety Month: Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls

????? From the crossword puzzle I completed by NSC, here are the Top 10 Tips for Avoiding Falls From a Ladder:

1. Place the base of a ladder on a firm, solid surface.
2. A ladder should not be used as a bridge or scaffold.
3. Always keep at least three points of contact with a ladder.
4. When climbing a ladder, always face it and grip the rungs, not the siderails.
5. Don't stand higher than the third rung from the top of a ladder.
6. Make sure you know the weight limits of a ladder you are using.
7. Don't jump off a ladder.
8. Instead of leaning or over-reaching, reposition a ladder closer to the work you are doing.
9. Check the area you will be working in for hazards, such as cords or objects in the walkway.
10. Use a tool belt instead of carrying tools in hand.

Next week's focus for National Safety Month is employee wellness.

What is OSHA doing about fall prevention?

OSHA's outreach program includes images, posters, wallet cards, etc. that employers can use to educate themselves and their employees.

OSHA has developed a nationwide outreach program for fall prevention. They firmly believe that falls can be prevented and lives can be saved using the simple three steps listed above:

• Plan - ahead to get the job done safely
• Provide - the right equipment
• Train - everyone to use the equipment safely

Here's how OSHA says to do it:

(Don't mind the copy-paste from OSHA's website...they say it better than I could.)

PLAN ahead to get the job done safely

"When working from heights, such as ladders, scaffolds, and roofs, employers must plan projects to ensure that the job is done safely. Begin by deciding how the job will be done, what tasks will be involved, and what safety equipment may be needed to complete each task.

When estimating the cost of a job, employers should include safety equipment, and plan to have all the necessary equipment and tools available at the construction site. For example, in a roofing job, think about all of the different fall hazards, such as holes or skylights and leading edges, then plan and select fall protection suitable to that work, such as personal fall arrest systems (PFAS)."

PROVIDE the right equipment

"Workers who are six feet or more above lower levels are at risk for serious injury or death if they should fall. To protect these workers, employers must provide fall protection and the right equipment for the job, including the right kinds of ladders, scaffolds, and safety gear.

Different ladders and scaffolds are appropriate for different jobs. Always provide workers with the kind they need to get the job done safely. For roof work, there are many ways to prevent falls. If workers use [PFAS], provide a harness for each worker who needs to tie off to the anchor. Make sure the PFAS fits, and regularly inspect all fall protection equipment to ensure it's still in good condition and safe to use."

TRAIN everyone to use the equipment safely

"Falls can be prevented when workers understand proper set-up and safe use of equipment, so they need training on the specific equipment they will use to complete the job. Employers must train workers in hazard recognition and in the care and safe use ladders, scaffolds, fall protection systems, and other equipment they'll be using on the job."

OSHA has provided a bunch of educational materials and resources, training resources, and media resources (images, press releases, etc.) so that employers can be aware of their responsibilities to their employees regarding falls.

Another example of the media available for use from OSHA to train and educate employees, or just serve as a visual reminder on a job site.

What are some common locations for falls? Plus, fall prevention tips!

It's week 1 of National Safety Month, and the theme for this week is "Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls."

Some common locations for falls include:

• Doorways
• Ramps
• Cluttered hallways
• Areas with heavy traffic
• Uneven surfaces
• Areas prone to wetness or spills
• Unguarded heights
• Unstable work surfaces
• Ladders
• Stairs

Fall prevention tips from the National Safety Council (NSC) include:

• Keeping floors clean and clear of clutter.
• Maintaining good lighting both indoors and on outdoor walkways.
• Installing handrails on all stairways.
• Using a sturdy stepstool when climbing or reaching for high places.
• Wearing sensible footwear.
• Never standing on a chair, table or surface on wheels.
• Arranging furniture to provide open pathways to walk through.
• Periodically checking the condition of outdoor walkways and steps and repairing as necessary.
• Removing fallen leaves or snow from outdoor walkways.
• Being aware that alcohol or drugs, including prescription and over-the-counter medicine, can affect your balance and increase your risk of falling.
• Secure electrical and phone cords out of traffic areas.
• Remove small throw rugs or use non-skid mats to keep them from slipping.
• Remove tripping hazards (paper, boxes, toys, clothes, shoes) from stairs and walkways.
• Clean up all spills immediately.

Visit the NSC website for a downloadable fact sheet on slips, trips, and falls.

Why do we care about slips, trips, and falls?

1. Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry.
2. Falls are one of the leading causes of unintentional injuries in the United States, (~8.9 million visits to the emergency department annually).
3. Falls are (for the most part) preventable.