Office Holiday Celebrations

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'Tis the season for holiday spirit, and many businesses plan holiday celebrations. Whether your party is taking place at an off-site location or in the office, here are a few tips to consider to ensure employee safety for a pleasant holiday gathering. 

If the party is going to take place after office hours, be aware of the night security arrangements at your building. Some offices lock doors and close stairwells, which could change emergency exit routes. 

• In planning for an after hours event or inviting outside guests, inform security in advance and request guest badges if necessary to abide by your facility’s access policy.

• Keep balloons and decorations out of the path of motion detectors.

• Before serving any alcoholic beverages, check with your company and/or building’s alcohol policy.

• If you do serve alcohol,​​​​​

  • Make sure each employee has a pre-planned ride home or arrange for transportation.

  • Ensure minors do not have access to it

  • Do not serve alcohol to anyone showing signs of intoxication.

• Food poisoning should always be a concern. Make sure that there is enough refrigerator space to keep foods properly refrigerated and dispose of any foods that have been out too long.

• Watch where you place beverages. Most offices are filled with electrical equipment and a spill could cause electrical shock or ruin the equipment and important information.

• Before the party, you may want to send employees a list of rules and reminders for the holiday celebration.

• Pre-planning may help avoid potential disasters.
   

Decorating your workplace is a great way to spread holiday cheer. These simple steps will allow you and other employees to enjoy this season without injury or property damage.

• Use a stepladder to put up decorations. Never stand on swivel chairs or desks, as they are unsteady.

• Make sure all illuminated decorations are turned off when the office is closed to decrease the risk of fire. Do not use decorations if they have broken or frayed wires. Candles should never be used, and all decorations should be fire resistant.

• Avoid placing holiday decorations in heavily trafficked areas and doorways. People may trip or knock them over, thus presenting additional hazards.

• Do not hang decorations from exit signs or sprinklers. Most fire codes require that emergency signs stay visible, and the weight of decorations may cause the sprinklers to malfunction.

• Decorations should not interfere with computers, space heaters or other pieces of equipment that need ventilation.

• Be sure security cameras are not covered by balloons or decorations.