Many of us take on DIY projects with good intentions. We want to help out around the home and we want to save money (and prove our manliness) by not hiring professionals. However, many of us can inadvertently end up endangering ourselves and our family by not taking safety precautions. To avoid a DIY disaster, it could be important to start prioritising safety. Below are just a few signs that you could be a dangerous DIY dad.
You take on jobs you’re clueless about
It’s good to always educate yourself before taking on a job that you have no knowledge of. A botched job could be costly to fix - and potentially dangerous. The internet is a great source of information and has free guides on how to do everything from installing a curtain rail to laying a carpet. Just be careful as to which content you trust online (steer clear of YouTube videos with lots of negative comments). For some jobs like gas plumbing, you should always hire a licensed and insured plumber, as these jobs require training and can be very dangerous if you get them wrong. The same goes for most electrical work - don’t risk setting the house on fire just to prove you’re DIY-savvy.
You don’t wear protective equipment
Many of us underestimate how important it is to wear protective equipment. When using electric sanders and saws, it’s wise to wear safety goggles to prevent sawdust and splinters from going in your eyes. Even if you wear glasses, you should still consider wearing goggles over the top, as glasses may not be enough. When dealing with jobs that produce a lot of fumes of dust, a respirator mask could be worth it. Ear protection could meanwhile be important when handling noisy machinery, while gloves are recommended when handling chemicals.
You are careless on ladders
Poor ladder safety is a big cause of fall injuries. And we’re not talking about performing acrobatics off the top of ladders (although this is definitely not advisable). Something as simple as not extending a ladder out completely or not getting someone to hold a ladder from below could be putting you at risk of a nasty fall. This post offers a few more tips for ‘stepping up’ your safety when using a ladder.
You don’t ventilate rooms
There are many DIY tasks that can create a lot of dust or fumes such as sanding or painting. Wearing a respirator could help to stop you from breathing all of this in, but unless you ventilate your home the dust and fumes will continue to linger. Ventilating a room could be as simple as cracking open a window. However, when it comes to heavy duty dust and more toxic fumes, you may want to consider using a portable extractor fan to help pump out any indoor pollutants.
You leave tools plugged in when not using them
Young kids can be very curious and will play with anything. If you don’t want them playing with live power tools while you’re busy grabbing a coffee, get into the habit of unplugging tools whenever you’re not in the room. On top of this, try to keep them out of reach, as some tools could still be dangerous even when unplugged.