Christmas decorations at work: safety checks before the tree and lights go up

Treat the display as a change to the workplace

Start with the proposed location, materials, power supply, installation method, people involved and the way the area is used. The assessment should be proportionate, but it must consider employees, visitors, contractors and anyone who may need help to evacuate. A small reception display and a multi-floor public venue will not need the same controls.

The responsible person must keep the statutory fire risk assessment under review. Article 9 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires review where there is reason to suspect the assessment is no longer valid or there has been a significant change affecting fire precautions. Official fire-safety guidance lists significant changes to displays or stock among potential review triggers. A few paper snowflakes may not require the whole assessment to be rewritten, but a large tree, extensive combustible display, changed layout or new electrical load should prompt a recorded review and any necessary update.

Agree who approves the display, who installs it, how long it will remain, who checks it and who can remove or isolate it. That short decision record is more useful than discovering in January that nobody owned the risk.

GOV.UK: workplace fire risk assessments ↗ · Related guide: workplace fire evacuation plans →

Protect escape routes and fire precautions

Article 14 of the Fire Safety Order requires emergency routes and exits to be kept clear where necessary for safety. Place trees, floor-standing displays, cables and collection boxes so they do not reduce the usable route, hide a change in level, obstruct a door or create a trip point. Check the arrangement in the busiest real condition—not only in an empty office before opening.

Keep exit signs, fire-action notices, alarm call points, extinguishers and emergency lighting visible and accessible. Do not attach decorations to fire doors, wedge doors open or interfere with their self-closing action. Do not suspend items from detectors, sprinkler heads or other fire-protection equipment. If a display affects detection, alarm coverage, suppression, compartmentation or evacuation, stop and obtain competent fire-safety advice before installation.

Consider people who use mobility aids, have impaired vision or need assistance. A route that remains technically open may still become harder to navigate. GOV.UK guidance requires clear passageways to escape routes and specific arrangements for people with mobility needs.

Fire Safety Order: emergency routes and exits ↗ · GOV.UK: fire safety and evacuation plans ↗

Inspect lights, plugs and cables before use

Do not assume lights are safe because they worked last year or carry an old test label. HSE says electrical equipment should be visually checked for early signs of damage or deterioration and removed from use if the plug or connector is damaged, the cable is insecure or taped, internal wires are visible, or there are burn marks suggesting overheating.

Check that the lights and any controller, transformer, extension lead or timer are suitable for the environment and used in line with the manufacturer's instructions. Indoor equipment should not be moved outdoors unless it is designed for that use. Do not improvise cable repairs, alter plugs or force several loads onto an arrangement whose capacity is uncertain. Ask a competent person to assess any doubt about the equipment or supply.

Portable appliance testing is not a universal annual legal ritual. HSE says the level and frequency of inspection and testing should reflect the equipment, environment, use and fault history. New equipment should still receive a simple visual check. A formal test may be appropriate where condition or risk justifies it, but a sticker never replaces the user's check on the day.

HSE: introduction to electrical safety ↗ · HSE: portable appliance testing FAQs ↗ · Related guide: PAT testing at work →

Use the right equipment to put decorations up

A desk, swivel chair, storage box or windowsill is not access equipment. Avoid work at height where the display can be assembled at floor level or positioned lower. Where access equipment is necessary, assess the task, height, duration, reach, surface, surrounding traffic and whether both hands are needed.

HSE says ladders and stepladders can be sensible for low-risk, short-duration work when the risk assessment shows that equipment offering more fall protection is not justified. The ladder must be suitable, stable and checked before use, and the person must be competent or supervised. For a stepladder, all four feet should be on firm, level ground and the locking devices engaged.

Keep the body within the stiles, avoid overreaching and maintain three points of contact where possible. If the job requires prolonged two-handed work, side loading, significant force or repeated repositioning, select more suitable access equipment. Keep people and vehicles out of the work area while decorations are being installed or removed.

HSE: when and how to use ladders safely ↗ · HSE: stepladder precautions ↗

Control combustibles, heat and daily use

Choose decorations with the workplace and people in mind. Keep paper, fabric, artificial foliage, packaging and other combustible materials away from heaters, cooking equipment, hot surfaces and other ignition sources. Do not introduce candles or another open flame as part of a workplace display. Where a real tree is used, consider stability, deterioration, falling needles, water near electrics and how it will be removed before it becomes dry or unstable.

Route cables so they are not crushed by doors or furniture, pulled across walkways, hidden under unsuitable coverings or exposed to cleaning damage. Prevent decorations from falling into work areas or being pulled down by children, customers or equipment. In warehouses, workshops and kitchens, contamination, dust, moisture, heat and vehicle movement may make domestic-style decorations unsuitable.

Set a simple daily check: the display remains stable, routes and safety equipment are clear, lights and cables show no damage or overheating, and nothing has been moved closer to an ignition source. Define when lights must be switched off and who isolates them. Remove defective items immediately rather than leaving them unplugged for somebody else to reconnect.

Related guide: portable heater safety →

Christmas decorations at work checklist

Law and official guidance were checked on 7 November 2026. Apply these controls to the actual premises, display, equipment and people. Obtain competent fire, electrical or work-at-height advice where the change could affect existing precautions or cannot be assessed confidently.

• Approve the location, materials, electrical supply and installation method before work starts.
• Review the fire risk assessment where the display creates a significant change.
• Keep escape routes, exit doors, signs, alarms, extinguishers and emergency lighting clear.
• Do not interfere with fire doors, detectors, sprinklers or other fire precautions.
• Visually check every light set, plug, cable, controller, timer and extension lead.
• Remove damaged, taped, scorched or unsuitable electrical equipment from use.
• Use suitable, stable access equipment—never desks, chairs or storage boxes.
• Keep combustible decorations away from heaters, hot surfaces and ignition sources.
• Check cables, stability, routes and electrical condition while the display remains in place.
• Set a switch-off, defect-reporting, removal and storage plan.