Safety With Home Improvement

Home Improvement Safety Guidelines

Accidents can happen. You need to be especially careful when you're working at heights; with power tools or sharp blades; with heavy, awkward, or toxic materials; or with electricity or natural gas.

By employing proven safety techniques, you can greatly reduce your risk of danger or injury. Here are a few very important practices and rules:

• Tackle only those tasks that you feel safe handling. (The same holds true with jobs that require specialized tools).


• Keep a tidy work area to avoid creating your own hazards. Don't allow power cords to tangle. Pick up and properly store power tools, sharp tools, or dangerous materials that might cause injury. Pull all nails from old lumber.


• Keep tools and supplies away from the reach of small children.


• Dress for safety. Sturdy clothing, work boots and gloves will protect you. And wear safety glasses whenever you use power tools, hammers, or other striking or cutting tools.


• When using power tools, be sure to follow all precautions stated in the manual. Always unplug the tool before servicing or adjusting it and when you're finished with the task at hand. Be sure the tool works properly and is equipped with proper safety guards.


• Keep drill bits, blades, and cutters sharp. Dull tools require extra force and can bind, making the tools dangerous.


• When working with corded power tools outdoors, be sure they're plugged into a receptacle that is protected by a ground-fault-circuit interrupter (GFCI). In the event of a short, a GFCI will shut off the circuit instantaneously.


• When using a ladder, position it on a flat, firm surface. As you climb or reach, keep your weight centered. Do not lean out to one side; keep your hips between the rails; never stand on the top two rungs. When using an extension ladder to reach the roof, extend at least two rungs above the eaves. This way, you can hold onto the ladder as you step onto the roof.


• Don't go up on the roof in bad weather or if your roof has a pitch steeper than 5 in 12. Pitch expresses the angle of a roof's slope. To find a roof's pitch, measure how many inches it rises vertically for each 12 inches of horizontal "run," or distance. A 6-in-12 pitch rises 6 inches vertically for every 12 horizontal inches of run.


• Do your own electrical work only if you have the necessary knowledge? Be sure to shut off the power before working on a circuit. Use a circuit tester to make sure a circuit is not active after you have shut off the power. (Sometimes more than one circuit is wired through an electrical box.) Never work on a live circuit, fixture, outlet, or switch.


• Think twice before working on gas pipes. This is a job that's usually best left to a professional technician. If you have the know-how to do your own work, test for leaks by brushing a solution of soapy water onto connections. Escaping gas will create bubbles. Remember that gas is explosive—never use a flame (or a match) to test for leaking gas.


• Equip your work area with fire extinguishers. An A-B-C fire extinguisher is best.


• Protect yourself against exposure to hazardous chemicals and materials. Many varnishes, strippers, solvents, preservatives, adhesives, and other products used to accomplish projects contain hazardous ingredients. Pay attention to all label warnings, including instructions about proper ventilation. For some materials or situations, a certified respirator is a must.


• Dust and fibers can be hazardous to breathe. When sanding wood or wallboard joint compound, wear a dust mask. Never sand, scrape, or dislodge surfaces that you suspect to contain asbestos; doing so can put highly hazardous fibers into the air.


• Know how to handle lead-based paint. Test surfaces before sanding or stripping. (Test kits are available in most home-improvement centers.) Before removing even a small quantity of lead-based paint, seal off the work area with duct tape and plastic sheeting. Always wear a respirator, gloves, and protective clothing. Vacuum the area only with a particulate vacuum cleaner designed for the job (these can be rented). Pregnant women and children should not be in the house or at the work site until all dust is removed. Hire a professional to strip large surfaces covered with lead-based paint.


• Last but not least, keep a good first-aid kit on hand.