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Candle Safety Tips
Candles are
available in nearly every size, shape, color and aroma one could think
of. The candle industry has had a steady growth rate of about
10-15% annually, and is now in the ball park of a $2.3 billion dollar
industry.
7 out of 10 homes use candles--especially
around the holidays and when people have company over.
Many people enjoy the ambience of the
flickering candle, but when used incorrectly or left unattended, a
candle can get become a weapon to burn down an entire house.
FACTS & FIGURES:
- Between 1999-2002,
Christmas Day was the peak day of the year for candle related
fires. New Year's a Day and Christmas Eve tied for second
- During 2002, an estimated 18,000 home fires
(including single & multi-family dwellings, apartments and
manufactured homes) started by candles were reported to public fire
departments. Damage resulting from said fires resulted in $333
million in estimated property loss, 130 deaths and 1,350 injuries
- Candle fires have increased every year since
1991
- Candle fires accounted for about 5% of all
reported home fires
- 40% of the home fires where candles were
believed to be the ignition source, started in the bedroom resulting
in 30% of the associated deaths.
- December has almost twice the number of home
candle fires on average as compared to any other month
- 50% of the fires were caused by combustibles
being left to close to the candle
- 18% of the fires were from unattended
(abandoned, or inadequately controlled) candles
- 5% of the fires were from people (usually
children) playing with candles
MINIMIZE YOUR
RISK--SAFETY TIPS:
- Follow the
instructions printed on the label by the manufacturer
- Trim candle wicks to
a height of 5-7mm before lighting the candle. Trim them again
every 2-3 hours to prevent high flames
- Take extra care if
you are burning candles with more than one wick. Avoid buying
candles with multiple wicks that are close together
- Use well ventilated
candle holders that are sturdy and will not tip over. Avoid
wooden or plastic holders, as these are fire hazards. Use
caution with glass candle holders as they can break if they get too
hot
- Never drop objects
(such as matches) into candles
- Keep burning candles
away from combustible materials (e.g., draperies, decorations,
clothing). If your clothing catches on fire, "STOP, DROP
& ROLL"
- Keep burning candles
out of reach of children and pets
- Do not leave candles
burning in a room if you leave
- Be sure to
extinguish all candles before going to sleep or taking a nap
- Do not burn candles
that have lead wicks
- Avoid using
decorative oil lamps with liquid fuel if you have children under the
age of 5 in your household. If you do have this type of lamp,
keep the fuel locked up and out of children's/pets reach.
- Teach your children
to be careful around open flames and make sure they understand that
candles are not something to play with, eat or drink.
- Keep candles out of
drafts
- Discontinue using if
any cracks appear in the glass
- Discontinue using
when only 1/2" of wax remains in the bottom (taper and pillar
candles should be extinguished when the candle reaches within
2" of the holder)
- Do not move candles
while they are burning or contain hot wax
- During a power
outage, use a flash light. Avoid carrying lit candles
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