Do the lights pose a safety hazard?
Yes. The CPSC monitors holiday lights and other decorations sold at stores and on the Internet to make sure they meet certain standards. What do we need to know when purchasing and hanging lights? You want to make sure your holiday lights bear the mark of a recognized testing lab, so that they meet current safety standards. Also, check each set of lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed wires, or loose connections. Throw out damaged sets. Use no more than three sets of lights on each extension cord. The same rules apply for outdoor lights, but there are a few more considerations. Outdoor electric lights and decorations should be plugged into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (gfcis). Portable outdoor gfcis can be purchased where electrical supplies are sold. Turn off your holiday lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire. What about candles? Always place candles out of reach of children. You might think candles
