Take the crisis out of Christmas

You will no doubt have read countless articles about the potential pitfalls of an office Christmas party and the health and safety implications of putting up the office decorations. So instead of being a Scrooge and banning all festivities in the workplace, just follow the handy do's and don'ts list below!

• Do check the Christmas lights are in good condition before plugging them in. The responsible thing to do is get them tested as a portable appliance;
• Don't leave the Christmas lights on all night so you burn down the office;
• Do use a suitable ladder to put up the office decorations, with someone handing you them;
• Don't stand on office furniture to put the decorations up, particularly swivel chairs;
• Do support the Christmas tree in a suitable container, preferably not a bucket. Last year more than 1,000 people were injured by Christmas trees;
• Don't hang tinsel or any paper decorations near any light bulbs, smoke detectors or emergency exit signs;
• Do inspect the party venue beforehand, and remove any potential for drunken slips and trips;
• Don't forget to make sure that soft drinks and food are available if you're going to provide alcohol;
• Do use fresh food from a reputable supplier and keep it in a fridge;
• Don't leave high risk food like turkey and trifle out at room temperature for more than four hours.

So, follow these simple rules and enjoy the festive cheers! Just make sure you don't let anyone photocopy 'anything' after one too many drinks. Such injuries could be tricky to explain to the HSE inspector...!