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Last year, nearly 8 million homeowners were injured while engaged in
a project around the house. With the current home improvement boom
and all the work being done by do-it-yourselfers, the number is
likely to rise.
When you're using power tools, do you wear safety glasses? When you
trim the roses, do you wear gloves to protect your hands? And when
you're sanding, do you wear a dust mask? Read what you can do to
prevent injuries.
A survey by MSA Safety Works of Pittsburgh, which manufacturers
safety equipment, found that do-it-yourselfers who are not confident
about their ability to handle projects around the house are the
least likely to take proper safety precautions. Frequently,
do-it-yourselfers see dust masks and safety goggles as part of the
domain of the pros.
The MSA survey found that 'capable contractor types' frequently
don't wear safety equipment either. Excuses like 'it's
uncomfortable' and 'I can't find it when I need it' topped the list
of reasons for foregoing proper equipment. Nearly 20 percent of
those interviewed acknowledged that they've had to seek medical
attention for injuries that could have been avoided. Of more than
one million eye injuries annually, the National Safety council says
that 90 percent could be avoided by proper use of protective
eyewear.
The most common, untreated injuries include dirt in the eye (60%),
cuts (69%), and fingers hit with hammers (70%.) Of those sustaining
these injuries, 72% felt there was 'room for improvement in their
personal safety-protection behavior.'
So how about you? Are you being safe? MSA suggests that before you
embark on a home-improvement project that you understand the
potential hazards and plan accordingly. They offer these
suggestions:
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Choose safety eyewear designed for each job. Your own eyeglasses
may have safety lenses, but that doesn't mean that they won't
shatter if struck by flying debris. On the other hand, not all
safety goggles will protect you from splashed chemicals and
solvents.
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If you're using a tall ladder, you might want to employ a safety
harness.
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Don't drape an extension cord over an area you'll repeatedly
traverse during the project. You're bound to trip over it.
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As you work, clean up. Remove spent nails and screws, scrap lumber
or drywall, etc.
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Always follow product guidelines.
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Protect your hearing. Wear earplugs or industrial ear muffs when
you're working around prolonged, loud noise.
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Wear gloves or work clothes to protect your skin from contact with
pesticides.
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Ventilate properly. Never strip furniture in a closed room. Open
windows, use fans, and make sure that the polluted air is
constantly being replaced by fresh air.
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Wear the correct respiratory equipment. A disposable dust mask
with a single strap reduces only the amount of pollen or non-toxic
dust you inhale. Government-approved respirators are better
protection from toxic dust and fumes. Different kinds of filters
are available for various jobs like spray painting or pesticide
application.
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Keep hair, jewelry and loose clothing from getting tangled in
power tools. Use duct tape to reign in loose clothing, and tie
hair back. If you must wear jewelry, like a wedding band, use
masking tape over it to keep it from getting caught in machinery.
A few precautions and some simple, readily availably equipment will
keep you safe from project to project. Your personal safety is a
perfect case of haste making waste - of you and your time. Take a
moment to get the right safety equipment and you'll easily save time
and money in the long run.
Copyright 2003
PropertySource Network |
