The season for building Sukkos has just begun and United Hatzalah volunteers have already treated dozens of injuries that occurred while people were building Sukkos. The Spokesperson’s department has therefore issued a series of basic safety tips for the holiday.

When building a Sukkah one should always be careful when standing or climbing in high places.

It is recommended to use proper safety gloves so as to avoid injuries to the hands.

Make sure that ladders are stable and being held by a second person.

It is strongly recommended to work in pairs if not larger groups so that one person can ground the ladder properly and call emergency services should an accident occur.

It is imperative to keep all nails, screws and tools away from the reach of small children.

When lighting candles for Shabbos or Yom Tov, be sure to keep them in a safe location, not near flammable materials, out of the wind, and also out of the reach of small children.

Keep the candles on a special platform that won’t burn such as a metal or glass tray and keep them away from the walls of the Sukkah or any flammable decorations.

Eli Beer, Founder and President of United Hatzalah explained that: “In previous years United Hatzalah volunteers have treated dozens of injuries due to people falling off of ladders during the building and decorating of Sukkahs. Some of these instances, unfortunately, have resulted in fatalities and serious injuries. We ask the public to take extra care this year while building, residing in and taking down their Sukkahs. Our volunteers will be on hand at all times during the holiday to provide care for any and all who need it. We wish you and all of Israel a happy and healthy holiday.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)