Christmas fairy lights safety message

With the festive season upon us, various services will be putting up festive decorations which includes festive fairy lights.

As the fairy lights will have been stored away for a period of time and there is a chance that they could be damaged in storage, it is important to safely untangle them and inspect for any damage before plugging them into the mains socket.

Follow our 10 fairy lights safety tips below to ensure you exercise caution when using fairy lights in the office and in other council buildings this Christmas:

1. all fairy lights must be checked before use
2. fairy lights must not be plugged in or switched on when checking for damage
3. any lights with damaged, frayed cables or bulbs should not be used
4. if being used in the workplace, it is recommended that all lights, unless brand new, should be PAT tested prior to use and have a suitable kite or CE stamp
5. mains operated 240 volt lights where the voltage is not transformed down to a low voltage should not be used
6. use of lights that plug into the wall socket at 240 volts and then the voltage is transformed down to a lower safer voltage, or battery operated LED Fiber Optic lights are strongly recommended
7. where using lights with transformer plugs they should be plugged directly into wall sockets where possible, if an extension is required, it should be fully uncoiled and not overloaded - direct plug extension units should not be used
8. when installing lights please ensure you follow manufactured instructions and do not arrange or adjust lights while switched on
9. any lights which display any unusual conditions such as unusual flickering or intermittent switching on and off should be unplugged and quarantined
10. if any incidents happen when using fairy lights, please report without delay to the Assure Incident Reporting Portal

Managers should share this important update with staff, thank you for taking the time to read this important update.

Published December 08, 2025