Holiday Season Decorating Reminders
With winter weather and the holiday season rapidly approaching,
holiday decorations will be arriving on campus. The following
are a number of guidelines to apply when decorating office/work
areas:
A. The top five days for candle fires are Halloween, Christmas,
Christmas Eve, New Year�s Day and New Year�s Eve. Please
prohibit the use of open flames, such as candles (MAPP 07.02.01
Fire and Life Safety Code).
B. Please ensure that decorations, tables, chairs, etc. do not
block or obscure exits. This is particularly important during
office or departmental gatherings.
1. |
Decorations should be kept
within the confines of the room. Paper decorations,
lights and tinsel should not be strung across hallways
and corridors. |
2. |
The use of decorative
lights on doors should not be allowed. |
3. |
Decorative materials
should be of a fire-resistive nature or chemically
treated to render the materials fire-retardant. There
are commercial products available or the following
solution is acceptable: 9 oz. borax, 4 oz. boric acid, 1
gallon water, and � teaspoon low sudsing detergent. |
4. |
Natural materials such as
straw and pine garlands should not be used. |
5. |
Paper decorations should
not cover more than 25% of the surface of any wall. For
example, if an office wall is 8 feet high by 10 feet
long, the paper decorations should not cover more than
20 square feet of wall area. |
6. |
No items may be attached
to or hung from sprinkler heads of sprinkler system
piping. This is a particularly important requirement
because of the potential breakage of the sprinkler
heads, pipes and pipe hangers. |
C. Please prohibit the use of electric lighting on metallic
trees. Only allow lights which have been tested by an
independent agency such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
D. Please discourage the use of cut natural trees. If, however,
a cut natural tree is utilized, it will be subject to the
following restrictions:
1. |
Contact the Fire Marshal�s
Office (FMO) for approval and
assistance. |
2. |
Immerse the trunk in water
or wet sand while the tree is located inside the
building. |
3. |
Treat the tree with a
flame-retardant product if it is to be maintained in
excess of fifteen days. There are commercial products
available or the following solution is acceptable: 9 oz.
borax, 4 oz. boric acid, 1 gallon water, and � teaspoon
low sudsing detergent. |
4. |
Place the tree in such a
way as not to obstruct aisles or exits. Do not allow
placement in proximity to any ready source of ignition. |
5. |
Remove the tree prior to
the extended University holiday shutdown. |
E. Please remove all decorations before departure for the
holiday break.
The Department of Public Safety staff wishes everyone a safe and
enjoyable holiday season.
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