UL Urges Consumers to Think Safety During the Holidays

Families Could be at Risk for Home Fires and Deaths Due to Hazardous Holiday Decorations

NORTHBROOK, Illinois, December 21 - It's the time of year when twinkling lights, gently glowing candles and
festive decor adorn homes everywhere. While most people look forward to these
holiday traditions, they may forget that they can pose very real safety
dangers to them and their families.

The season of joy is unfortunately also a season for thousands of
injuries and home fires caused by holiday decorations. This holiday season
Underwriters Laboratories (UL), one of the world's leading product safety
certification organizations, is reminding consumers to think about safety to
avoid holiday mishaps. If not done mindfully, cheerful activities could
quickly dampen holiday spirits. Products like light strings can become worn
after years of use, and they may cause fire or electric shock.

"Decorating the tree, stringing holiday lights and other holiday
traditions are what every family wants to remember," said John Drengenberg,
director of Consumer Safety at UL. "Sadly, all can be a fire hazard or cause
an electric shock or injury, so families should take a few minutes to think
about the most precious gift of all when celebrating this year: safety."

    SAFE DECORATING TIPS
    -- A fresh tree is very important. If the needles are not fresh, there
       is a greater risk of fire. Ask your tree lot attendant to make a
       fresh cut to the base of the tree and place it in water as soon as
       you get home. Position the tree in a stand that holds at least one
       gallon of water and check moisture level daily. Dispose of your tree
       after approximately four weeks.
    -- Light it right. Carefully inspect each electrical decoration - new or
       old -- before plugging it in... look for cracked sockets or frayed,
       exposed wires that could become a shock or fire hazard. Replace
       damaged items with new decorations.
    -- Holiday lights - indoor or outdoor? Look at product packaging to
       determine where a decoration should be used. Indoor-only decorations
       should not be used outside because they have not been designed or
       tested to withstand elements like wind, rain and heat or cold.
    -- Be skeptical about savings. If the price is too good to be true, it
       probably is. Be wary of buying decorations in non reputable stores.
       You want to make sure what you are buying is not counterfeit as
       counterfeit products have not been tested for safety.

    SAFE FAMILY
    -- Exercise candle care. Place candles out of reach of children and away
       from heavy traffic areas in your home. Never leave a room with candles
       lit.
    -- Stand by your pan. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires. Stay in
       the kitchen when you are cooking, frying or broiling.
    -- Practice makes the holiday perfect. Use the holiday season as an
       opportunity to practice a fire escape plan with your children. Every
       family member should know at least two ways to get out of each room in
       the home.
    -- Gift donations. If you plan to give to those in need, think safety.
       Consider donating toys your children no longer play with - but are in
       good condition for second-hand use. Before donating toys with
       electrical components, make sure they do not have frayed or bare
       wires/cords as they can potentially cause fire or shock hazards.

"There will be many opportunities for stress and accidents this holiday.
Remembering to think about safety while decorating your home will help give
comfort to you and your family," says Drengenberg.

For more information on safe holiday decorating, go to
www.ul.com/consumers.

About Underwriters Laboratories

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an independent product safety
certification organization that has been testing products and writing
Standards for Safety for over a century. UL evaluates more than 19,000 types
of products, components, materials and systems, with 20 billion UL Marks
appearing on 72,000 manufacturers' products each year. UL's worldwide family
of companies and network of service providers includes 64 laboratory, testing
and certification facilities serving customers in 98 countries. For more
information, visit: www.ul.com/newsroom.

Joe Hirschmugl, Media Relations Manager of Underwriters Laboratories, +1-847-664-1508, Joseph.F.Hirschmugl at us.ul.com; or Tina Janczura Stanton of GolinHarris, +1-312-729-4349, tjanczura at golinharris.com, for UL