Home / Blog / Roof and safety
Is hanging Christmas lights dangerous? What the injury numbers show
It can be. The CPSC estimates about 14,900 people were treated in emergency rooms for holiday decorating injuries from Nov. 1, 2022 to Jan. 31, 2023, about 160 a day, and nearly half involved falls. Most of that risk comes from ladders, so a stable ladder setup, dry weather and a helper do more for your safety than anything else.
Is hanging Christmas lights dangerous?
It carries real risk, mostly from falls. Thousands of people are treated in emergency rooms every holiday season for decorating injuries, and nearly half of those injuries involve a fall. Most of it is preventable with good ladder habits and the right weather.
This is not a reason to panic. Plenty of people hang lights themselves safely every year. It is a reason to take the ladder part seriously.
How many people get hurt decorating for Christmas?
About 160 a day during the holiday season, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. In its November 2024 holiday safety release, the CPSC estimated that about 14,900 people were treated in emergency departments for decorating-related injuries from Nov. 1, 2022 through Jan. 31, 2023, with nearly half of the injuries involving falls.
The number has been steady to rising. The CPSC's previous release estimated about 14,800 people treated from Nov. 1, 2021 through Jan. 31, 2022, with over 40% involving falls. An older CPSC safety alert estimated more than 13,000 emergency department visits in November and December 2010, up from 10,000 in 2007, and noted increasing reports of falls from ladders while stringing lights.
| Period (CPSC estimate) | People treated in emergency departments | Share involving falls |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 1, 2022 to Jan. 31, 2023 | About 14,900 | Nearly half |
| Nov. 1, 2021 to Jan. 31, 2022 | About 14,800 | Over 40% |
| November and December 2010 | More than 13,000 | Not given |
| 2007 | About 10,000 | Not given |
These counts include all holiday decorating, indoors and out, not only roof lights. They also count only emergency department visits, so injuries treated at urgent care or a doctor's office are not in them.
How dangerous are ladders in general?
More than most people think. CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that in the U.S., more than 500,000 people are treated for ladder-related injuries and about 300 people die from them each year. That is all ladder use, all year, but holiday lights put a lot of people on ladders who rarely use one otherwise.
What causes most Christmas light injuries?
Falls lead the list, then electrical problems and heat. Here is how each one usually happens.
Falls
- The ladder base kicks out because it is set too flat or on soft or uneven ground.
- Reaching sideways past the rails to clip "just one more."
- Climbing with hands full of light strings.
- Stepping off a ladder onto a roof edge that is wet, frosty or covered in leaves.
- Leaning a ladder on a gutter, which can bend or slide.
Shock and electrical problems
- Indoor lights used outside. The CPSC advises checking labels to make sure lights are certified for outdoor use.
- Outdoor lights plugged into circuits without ground-fault protection. The same CPSC guidance says outdoor lights should be plugged into circuits protected by GFCIs.
- Damaged strings with cracked sockets or bare wire.
- A metal ladder near the service drop, the overhead line that brings power to your house.
Heat and fire
- Too many incandescent strings connected end to end. The CPSC says not to connect more than three sets of incandescent lights and not to overload outlets.
- Hot bulbs touching dry leaves, paper or fabric. LED bulbs run far cooler, which ENERGY STAR notes reduces the risk of fire.
How do you hang Christmas lights more safely?
Set up the ladder right, work in dry daylight, and have a helper. These steps cover most of the risk. The ladder angle and extension figures below follow OSHA's ladder standard for construction work.
| Risk | How it happens | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Ladder slides out | Base too far out or on soft ground | About 1 foot out for every 4 feet of height, on firm, level ground |
| Ladder tips sideways | Overreaching | Keep your belt buckle between the rails. Climb down and move the ladder. |
| Fall stepping onto roof | Ladder too short at the edge | Ladder should extend about 3 feet above the edge you step onto |
| Slip on roof | Frost, rain, leaves, steep pitch | Wait for dry afternoons. Stay off steep roofs. |
| Shock | Indoor lights, wet plugs, no GFCI | Outdoor-rated lights, GFCI outlet, connections off the ground |
| Overheating | Long incandescent runs | Use LEDs and follow the label for how many strings connect |
A short safety checklist
- Test every string on the ground before it goes up. Toss anything damaged.
- Check the weather. Dry, calm, and above freezing if you can.
- Look up before you set the ladder. Find the power line to your house and keep well clear of it.
- Set the ladder on firm, level ground, at the right angle, with both feet planted.
- Keep three points of contact while climbing: two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand.
- Use a tool belt or hoist so your hands are free on the ladder.
- Have a helper hold the ladder and hand things up.
- Use clips, never nails or staples. See whether clips damage gutters and shingles.
- Plug into a GFCI outlet and keep plug connections up off wet ground.
- Put the lights on a timer so nobody has to reach outlets in the dark.
When should you hire a pro instead?
When the job needs ladder work you don't do often. Two-story homes, steep roofs, tall peaks and anyone who isn't steady on a ladder are the cases where the risk is highest.
- Your roof is steeper than you would walk comfortably.
- You would need an extension ladder above the first floor.
- You want lights in trees too tall to reach from a stepladder. See lights on trees and bushes.
- Nobody is around to hold the ladder.
A one-story home with a short, flat gutter run is a reasonable DIY job for someone comfortable on a ladder. Use the checklist above and take your time.
Rather stay off the ladder?
We design, hang, fix, take down and store your lights, so nobody in your family has to climb. Send your address for a free picture of your home lit up with a custom quote in about 15 minutes. If you are outside our current area, send it anyway and we'll tell you straight whether we can reach you.
Common questions
What is the most common Christmas decorating injury?
Falls. The CPSC says nearly half of holiday decorating injuries involve a fall, which is why ladder setup matters so much.
Is it safe to hang lights alone?
It is safer with a helper. Someone on the ground can hold the ladder base, hand up materials so you are not climbing with full hands, and call for help if something goes wrong.
Is it safe to hang lights in the rain?
Wait for dry weather. Wet rungs and wet shingles are slippery, and you should not be handling plugs and connections in the rain.
Are LED lights safer than incandescent?
They run much cooler. ENERGY STAR notes certified LED strings are cool to the touch, which reduces fire risk compared with hot incandescent bulbs.
How do I know if my old lights are safe to use?
Check every string before it goes up. Throw out any with cracked sockets, frayed or bare wire, or loose connections.