Halloween, Christmas & Seasonal Decorations: Don’t Forget the Electrical Safety Checks
As summer comes to an end, businesses across Tonbridge, Kent and the surrounding areas start getting ready for the autumn and winter season.
First comes Halloween. Then Bonfire Night. And before you know it, Christmas lights, fairy lights and festive decorations are being pulled out of storage and put up around shops, restaurants, offices, schools, community halls and other businesses.
But there is one thing that can easily get forgotten when putting up seasonal decorations:
Are the electrical decorations actually safe to use?
After spending most of the year packed away, cables, plugs, transformers and lighting sets can deteriorate or become damaged without anyone realising. That's why seasonal electrical decorations are worth checking before they are plugged in and put on display.
Halloween decorations need checking too
Halloween decorations are becoming increasingly popular with businesses.
Restaurants, pubs, shops, visitor attractions, schools and community venues often use illuminated pumpkins, moving decorations, coloured lights, inflatables, sound effects and other electrical displays to create a Halloween atmosphere.
Some of these items may only be used for a few weeks each year, meaning they can spend the other eleven months sitting in storage.
Before putting them into service, check for:
Damaged or crushed cables
Cuts, splits or exposed wiring
Damaged plugs
Loose connections
Damaged transformers or power supplies
Signs of overheating
Broken light fittings
Water or moisture damage
Cables that have been trapped or pinched during storage
Decorations being used outside when they are only designed for indoor use
Just because something worked perfectly last Halloween doesn't necessarily mean it is still safe this year.
What happens to decorations while they're in storage?
One thing that's easy to forget is where seasonal decorations spend most of the year.
Christmas lights, Halloween decorations and other electrical displays are often packed away into lofts, sheds, garages, outhouses or other storage areas for months at a time.
These aren't always the ideal environments for electrical equipment.
Lofts can become extremely hot during the summer and cold during the winter, while sheds and garages can be damp, cold and subject to condensation. Over time, these conditions can contribute to corrosion, deterioration of cables, damage to plugs and connections, and moisture getting into electrical components.
The decorations may have been perfectly fine when they were packed away, but that doesn't necessarily mean they will still be in the same condition when they come back out.
Before plugging them in, give them a proper inspection.
Look for:
Signs of damp or moisture
Corrosion around plugs, connections or electrical components
Damaged or brittle cables
Cracked or damaged plugs
Loose connections
Crushed or trapped cables
Damage caused by being stored under other items
Signs of overheating or discolouration
Damaged transformers or power supplies
Any signs that insects or other pests have been around the equipment
And if decorations have been stored somewhere particularly damp, don't simply plug them in to see if they still work. Allow them to dry fully and inspect them carefully first.
This is one of the reasons visual inspection is such an important part of PAT testing. A piece of equipment doesn't have to be obviously broken to have developed a problem while sitting in storage.
Then Christmas arrives...
Once Halloween is over, there isn't much time before Christmas decorations start appearing.
Christmas lights are one of the most common seasonal electrical items to be brought out of storage. They may be used around Christmas trees, windows, shop fronts, reception areas, restaurants, offices, community halls and outdoor displays.
It's worth checking Christmas lights carefully before use, particularly if they've been stored away for most of the year.
Look closely at the entire set rather than simply switching it on to see whether the lights work.
A damaged cable, loose connection or damaged plug might not stop the lights from working, but it could still create a safety problem.
What about PAT testing Christmas lights?
This is a question we get asked regularly:
“Do Christmas lights need to be PAT tested?”
There isn't a blanket rule that every set of Christmas lights must automatically have a PAT test simply because they are Christmas lights. The appropriate inspection and testing regime depends on the equipment, how it is constructed, where it is being used and the environment around it.
However, electrical safety checks are extremely important for seasonal equipment.
Christmas lights can be particularly vulnerable to damage because they are frequently stored for long periods and then brought back into use for a short period each year.
For businesses, keeping seasonal electrical equipment included within your wider electrical safety and PAT testing arrangements can therefore make good sense.
Don't forget the plugs and extension leads
It's easy to concentrate on the pretty part of the decoration and forget about what is actually supplying the electricity.
Christmas and Halloween displays can involve a surprising number of extension leads, adaptors and plugs.
When carrying out an inspection, we look at the complete setup rather than simply checking whether the lights turn on.
Plugs - Are they damaged? Is the cable properly secured? Is the fuse appropriate? Are the connections correctly terminated?
Cables - Are there any cuts, crushed sections, splits or signs of overheating?
Extension leads - Are they suitable for the equipment being connected? Are they damaged or overloaded?
Transformers and power supplies - Are they in good condition and being used as intended?
Connections - Are cables and plugs being used safely without creating trip hazards or putting strain on connections?
Outdoor decorations need extra care
Outdoor Halloween and Christmas displays deserve particular attention.
A decoration that is suitable for indoor use should never simply be taken outside because it happens to look good in the garden or outside a business.
Always check the manufacturer's instructions and make sure lighting and electrical decorations are suitable for the environment in which they are being used.
Outdoor displays also need to be positioned carefully.
Think about rain, moisture, foot traffic, trip hazards and the positioning of cables, plugs and transformers.
Something that is perfectly safe inside a restaurant or shop may need additional consideration when it is being used outside.
Why visual inspection matters
This is where professional PAT testing differs from simply plugging something in to see if it works.
An appliance can work perfectly and still have a fault.
A thorough visual inspection can identify problems such as damaged cables, loose connections, damaged plugs, incorrect fuses and other obvious signs of deterioration before equipment is put into use.
At Tonbridge PAT Testing, we don't just put a sticker on an appliance and move on.
Where appropriate, we inspect the plug top, check the cable termination, look at the fuse and check for signs of damage or poor workmanship.
If we find a minor fault that can be safely rectified, such as a blown or incorrect fuse, a poorly wired plug or a loose cable connection, we can often repair it there and then.
If an item isn't safe to use, it will be failed and clearly identified so that it can be removed from service.
Halloween today, Christmas tomorrow
One of the advantages of getting your seasonal electrical equipment checked early is that you can deal with problems before you're halfway through decorating the premises.
If you've got boxes of:
Halloween lights
Illuminated Halloween decorations
Christmas tree lights
Fairy lights
Festive displays
Light-up signs
Outdoor decorations
Extension leads
Transformers and power supplies
sitting in storage, now is a good time to start looking through them.
Don't wait until the week before Christmas to discover that half your lights have damaged cables or faulty plugs.
If you've got boxes of decorations that have spent the last year in a loft, shed or garage, now is a good time to get them out and check them before they become part of your Halloween or Christmas display.
PAT testing for businesses across Tonbridge and Kent
At Tonbridge PAT Testing, we provide professional portable appliance testing for businesses, organisations, landlords and community venues across Tonbridge, Kent and surrounding areas.
We regularly test equipment in places such as:
Restaurants and cafés
Offices
Shops
Schools
Community halls
Churches
Clinics
Landlords' properties
Hospitality businesses
Entertainment venues
Seasonal decorations can often be included alongside your normal PAT testing, meaning you don't necessarily need to arrange a completely separate visit just for your Halloween or Christmas equipment.
Get your seasonal decorations ready before the rush
Halloween might be the first sign that the festive season is approaching, but Christmas will be here before we know it.
If your business has electrical decorations coming out of storage this autumn, don't just plug them in and hope for the best.
Give them a proper inspection, check that they are suitable for where you intend to use them and make sure any electrical equipment that forms part of your wider PAT testing programme is tested appropriately.
A few minutes checking a decoration before putting it into service could prevent a much bigger problem later.
If you're looking for PAT testing in Tonbridge, Southborough, Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks or across Kent, get in touch with Tonbridge PAT Testing to arrange your next inspection.
Safe decorations mean you can concentrate on the important part — making your business look great for Halloween, Christmas and everything in between.
