With the UK’s A&E departments as full as our bellies after Christmas dinner it is a well-known fact that more accidents occur over the Christmas period than at any other time of year. Between 2011/12 alone over 27 million working days were lost due to work-related illness and injury, so the cost of Christmas to businesses this year will extend far further than the office Christmas party.

Health and Safety Expert Tori Davies from Saracen Solutions commented: “there are many myths surrounding office health & safety this time of year and with accidents and absences at an all-time high over the Christmas period, it is not unusual for the HR department to turn into Scrooge.” She continued “Companies need to strike the right balance this year between adhering to regulations, mitigating risk, and allowing the festive spirit into the workplace.” Take a look at our top 10 health and safety do’s and don’ts for businesses during the Christmas period – they might just make you think twice about that kiss under the mistletoe!

1: Do decorate (safely!)
Putting up decorations in the office can be a great way to boost morale and put employees in the festive spirit. But it is important to ensure that decorations are put up properly using the correct equipment (type and size of ladders etc.). Equally, ensure loose wires are tucked away to avoid trips and falls.

2: Don’t photocopy your body parts
Common office pranks such as photocopying body parts can cause permanent damage as exposure to even small amounts of ultraviolet light can cause eye irritation and burns.

3: Do store food properly and de-frost freezers
The Hygiene Council conducted an international cleaning study recently across eight countries, the results were alarming. The survey showed that 52 percent of taps had high bacteria results compared to only 15 percent of toilet flush mechanisms. That could make you think twice about using the office kitchen on your next lunch break! Ensure your office kitchen is cleaning and fridges emptied out before the Christmas breaks. Party food should be destroyed straight after the party not 2 or 3 days later, if using a caterer, make sure you know the caterer is reputable.

4: Don’t risk the kiss of death
Office romances can be a huge cause of stress in the work place but they will inevitably happen in almost every business. If you just can’t help yourself this Christmas, at least avoid the Christmas kiss of death by removing the poisonous berries from your mistletoe or replacing it with a plastic alternative.

5: Do clear office car parks and pathways of snow
It is a myth that clearing drives, access and paths will leave you more exposed to being sued by a member of the public or an employee. So this winter let common sense prevail and clear pathways to make them safer and more accessible to the public and your staff.

6: Do consider weather hazards
As well as a hazard the weather can be a cause of stress, particularly within industries where the weather can impact on deadlines such as construction companies. It is important to ensure that the safety of the public and workers are put first when the weather turns at this time of year.

7: Don’t drink too much at the office party
Every year there’s always at least one person at the office party who will have one too many drinks. Unfortunately this can result in more than just a hangover and feeling of shame. High heels and falls can result in twisted ankles and bruises. It is also important to remind people that two to three times more people die at this time of year from alcohol-related crashes than other periods of the year, so plan your taxi in advance or if you are planning to drive stay on the soft drinks and take extra care.

8: Do manage the stress levels of your employees
Christmas is often a more stressful time for employees as deadlines loom with many of us working longer hours to compensate. Particularly in retail stress becomes rife amongst employees as stores become busier, with the estimated weekly spend across all retailing averaging £8.5 billion in December 2012. Not managing staff stress effectively can result in staff shortages and phoning in sick, which can ultimately impact the sales potential.

9: Don’t skimp on the decorations
Faulty wiring, and dangerous chemicals are often found in Christmas decorations, bearing in mind a five-foot dried pine tree can take as little as 90 seconds to completely burn up the danger potential is high. To ensure your office is fire hazard free check the safety labelling information on your products, do not link more than four sets of lights together, and avoid overloading sockets.

10: Do manage conflict
As the Christmas period can be a stressful time in the office, it can become increasingly likely for conflicts to occur whether alcohol, stress, illness or hangover induced. Additionally, employees often request the same days off over the Christmas period which can result in conflict and stress when employees do not get the time off needed for family commitments. Tori added “at Saracen Solutions the New Year period is always a particularly busy time for us as companies look to review and update their health and safety standards, and enrol employees in refresher courses after a hectic Christmas period for their HR teams. This year we urge companies to stay one step ahead with their Health and Safety and avoid the accident before it happens”.