Buying Christmas lights? Here are some safety reminders from DTI-7

Vendors selling Christmas decorations along the streets of Divisoria in Manila. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Christmas in the Philippines has always been bright and colorful, and usually people can see it in the bright lights on Christmas trees and other decorations.

With this, the Department of Trade and Industry in Central Visayas (DTI-7) has some reminders in buying the right and safe kinds of Christmas lights.

Joy Suralta, DTI-7 Consumer Protection Division chief, reiterated their agency’s call that consumers should buy lights that had Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) and PS (Philippine Standard) marks.

ALSO READ:

Make a smart choice: Top tips for buying quality Christmas lights

DTI-7 on Christmas items’ prices: Cebu establishments compliant

And on top of that, Suralta also advised the consumers to determine the kind of lights they are purchasing whether they are AC (alternating current) or the lights that need to be plugged in the electric outlets, and the other is the DC (direct current) lighting which is usually in battery-operated lights and solar electricity which are not regulated by the DTI.

“We only regulate the AC so you can be sure that it is of quality if it has an ICC mark for imported lights and PS for Philippines,” Suralta said.

So far, the establishments in Cebu are compliant with the DTI’s order.

Suralta also advised the consumers to visit DTI’s Bureau of Philippine Standards (DTI-BPS) website so they can check the product’s safety and quality.

Safety reminders

Moreover, here also the additional safety reminders of DTI-BPS to the consumers:

1. For those who will be reusing Christmas lights from last year, carefully inspect the plug and cord of the lighting set for brittle and dented parts as the insulation material made of PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) plastic deteriorates over time.
2. Dispose old and damaged Christmas lights.
3. If stored Christmas lights can still be used but have burnt out bulbs, replace the burnt bulbs before using.
4. Plugging in more than three (3) connected sets of Christmas lights into one electric outlet is not advisable.
5. Do not overload electrical outlets. Too many plugs in one outlet may overheat the outlet and may start a fire.
6. Do not leave Christmas lights turned on overnight.
7. Do not use nails, thumb tacks, and wire staples when hanging Christmas lights as these may damage its parts and create fire hazards. Use light hangers instead which are available in hardware and home stores.
8. Read carefully the instructions on the packaging and/or the manuals of Christmas lights provided by the manufacturer.