There has been a huge growth in home DIY projects over the last decade. There is no doubt that some repair and replace jobs around the home are simple and can be done by just about anyone, but there are other jobs that seem simple but are quite complicated and require great skill.
One should be encouraged to take on many of these jobs, but at the same time also warned to use the highest measures of safety. Sometimes even though you do everything properly, you sustain a personal injury, because of a tool or the materials you are using. When this occurs, you should contact a personal injury solicitor at www.slatergordon.co.uk. They can advise you about how to bring a lawsuit against the product manufacturer for your injuries. In the meantime, here are some safety tips to follow on your home DIY projects.
Have the Right Safety Equipment
Every DIY project requires that you use different equipment that carries an associated risk. To ensure you mitigate risk, you need to have the right safety equipment. There are some standard items you need to have, including:
- Clothing that is loose enough to allow you to move freely, but not so loose that it can get caught on things.
- Closed toe shoes and depending on the job, you may need steel-toe work boots.
- Safety gloves that are strong and durable.
- A fire extinguisher.
You should also remove any jewelry that is loose or hanging and tie back long hair.
Some home DIY jobs may require special equipment like safety harnesses, special eye protection or a respiratory protective device if you are working with mold, lead or toxic chemicals. Make sure you have these safety tools on hand and put them into operation every time they are needed.
The two most dangerous tools on a DIY Job
Ladders
There are large varieties of ladders available. It is important that you select the right ladder for the job and use it properly.
- Use correct size ladder: Make sure that the ladder height is accurate for your needs. If a ladder is too short and you are reaching up all the time to compensate, you are putting yourself in a dangerous situation that may lead to an injury. Never use the top rungs of the ladder, instead use a larger ladder where you can stand on the stronger and more stable middle parts of it.
- Make sure it is on level ground: The ladders feet need to be on flat, dry ground that is non-slip and will not move when you put any weight on it. Use someone to spot you on the ladder making sure they pay attention to you when you are on the ladder. Also, keep it far away from any electrical wires.
- Never use a ladder for other jobs: For some reason people think ladders are great as scaffolding or a table. Ladders are not made for any of these purposes, so do not enlist them for anything other than their intended purpose. In addition to your using the wrong tool for a job, you can also damage the ladder when using it for an unintended purpose causing it to fail when you are on top of it.
Electric Saws
Electric saws are some of the most dangerous tools a homeowner can encounter. These safety tips should be followed closely, in order to insure injury prevention.
- Protect your eyes: Any time you are cutting, there will be debris that is thrown into the air. Electric saws throw a lot of debris. This is why there are so many eye injuries from them. So, you need to ALWAYS wear eye protection when you are operating or around an electric saw!
- Make sure you understand how to operate it: Saws seem like tools that are easy to operate, but this may not be the case. Read the operating and safety instructions and particularly how to shut it off quickly in the event of an accident.
- Common sense things to never do with a saw: Never start the saw with a piece of wood already engaged with the blade. Use a stick rather than your hand to advance a piece of wood close to the saw blade. Never remove any shields or guards from the saw. Unplug the saw when you are changing the saw blade. Never saw large pieces of wood that cannot be adequately supported.
Finally, if you are doing a DIY project and you suspect you have encountered asbestos you should immediately stop and call a professional who is legally certified to handle this very dangerous material.
Safety first is the DIY rule that leads to a finished job and your safety.
