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The holidays are here for 93% of Americans who plan to celebrate at least once between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, according to a new UL Standards & Engagement study. With these celebrations, there is more cooking, shopping, decorating, and traveling — there is also more safety risk.
This guide is designed to help you make smart decisions to reduce the risk when cooking, gifting, decorating, and traveling this season. From the standards that protect your products, to the safety tips that will help you avoid injury, we are leveraging more than a century of safety expertise to make the holiday season one to remember—for all the right reasons.
UL 4200A Products Incorporating Button Batteries or Coin Cell Batteries
UL 696 Electric Toys
UL 2849, UL 2272, UL 2271 Electrical Systems and Batteries for E-Mobility Devices
UL 8400 Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality Technology Equipment
UL 1678 Carts, Stands, and Entertainment Centers for Use with AV Equipment
UL 62368-1 Audio/Video, Information and Communication Technology Equipment
UL 2442 Wall and Ceiling-Mounts and Accessories
UL 110 Sustainability for Mobile Phones
Nearly three-quarters (72%) of U.S. adults say they plan to purchase gifts this season. Of these, 83% plan to purchase battery-powered electronics. If you’re in this group, look for products that conform to safety standards.
If damaged or malfunctioning, the batteries in rechargeable electronics can present a risk of fire from thermal runaway, but safety standards mitigate this risk by ensuring that products are designed and constructed according to rigorous safety requirements
of gift buyers say they prefer to buy from well-known brands
of gift buyers say they are motivated by price
of gift buyers say they prefer to buy from well-known retailers
of gift buyers say they prefer to buy products that meet safety standards
If buying products that contain these small, removable batteries, we recommend products that conform to UL 4200A, Products Incorporating Button Batteries or Coin Cell Batteries, or ASTM F963, Safety Standard for Toys, which strengthen battery enclosures and prevent children from accidentally ingesting batteries.
E-mobility devices endure demanding conditions (vibration, water exposure, mechanical shock from a bump, drop, or fall, etc.) in normal use, which can cause them to enter thermal runaway. Our standards, UL 2849, UL 2272, and UL 2271, significantly mitigate these risks.
For products such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, personal care items, toys, and medical devices, look for products that conform to safety standards such as UL 1642, Lithium Batteries, and UL 2054, Household and Commercial Batteries, which ensure the batteries in these products can withstand normal use without presenting a risk of thermal runaway.
Nearly 154 million Americans will decorate their homes with lights, trees, wreaths, menorahs, or all of the above this holiday season. There’s a lot of good behavior, but some troubling trends as well.
Most inspect lights for damage and check to make sure outdoor lighted decorations are rated for outdoor use. Still, more than half admit to plugging multiple power strips or extension cords together to connect their lighted decorations—a process called “daisy-chaining” that can cause an electrical fire.
UL 943 Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters
UL 588 Seasonal and Holiday Decorations
UL 2358 Outline of Investigation for Fire Tests of Pre-Lit Seasonal Decorations
UL/ULC 2115 Processed Solid- Fuel Firelogs
UL 103 Factory-Built Chimneys and UL 127 Factory-Built Fireplaces
UL 1363 Relocatable Power Taps and UL 60730-2-7 Automatic Electrical Controls for Timers
inspect lights for damage
make sure outdoor lighted decorations are plugged into weatherproof outlets
check to make sure outdoor lighted decorations are rated for outdoor use
admit to daisy-chaining power strips or extension cords
UL 858 Household Electric Ranges
UL 217 Smoke Alarms
UL 923 Microwave Cooking Appliances
UL 1083 Household Electric Skillets and Frying-Type Appliances
Cooking fires are dramatically more likely during the holidays, with the National Fire Protection Association reporting a 240% increase in the daily average on Thanksgiving, a 72% increase on Christmas Eve, and a 71% increase on Christmas Day.
Be safe by keeping fire extinguishers on-hand, confirming smoke and CO alarms are up-to-date and working properly, and having someone in the kitchen at all times while food is cooking.
test their smoke alarms monthly, as experts recommend
do not have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen area
do not have a carbon monoxide alarm near the kitchen
will share cooking responsibilities with at least one other adult
More than 81 million Americans say they typically travel during the holiday season, and almost all air travelers (96%) will bring a lithium-ion battery-powered device (phone, smartwatch, laptop, tablet, etc.) on their flight. It’s important to be aware of the thermal runaway risk these batteries present, and to pack safely. Always keep rechargeable items within arm’s reach when traveling, and never pack them in checked luggage.
If staying in a hotel or rental property, know before you go if your lodging will have a carbon monoxide alarm. Many incorrectly assume their lodging will have a CO alarm installed, but currently, only 14 states require them in hotels. To ensure safety, bring a portable carbon monoxide alarm with you when you travel.
UL 2591 Outline of Investigation Battery Cell Separators
UL 1642 Lithium Batteries
UL 2034 | ULC 538 Carbon Monoxide Alarms
UL 2056 Power Banks
UL 2054 Household and Commercial Batteries
of passengers said they pack power banks and portable chargers in checked luggage
put their e-cigarettes or vapes in checked luggage
do not worry about carbon monoxide exposure in upscale hotels because they assume the property has a CO alarm installed
of those staying in a hotel this year actually own a portable carbon monoxide alarm
Everything that makes the holidays enjoyable can happen more safely when we have awareness of the risks and can take reasonable steps to mitigate them.
At UL Standards & Engagement, we are always working for a safer world — during the holidays and all year long. We wish you a safe, joyful season and a happy New Year.