The Most Common DIY Injuries and How to Prevent Them
Whether you’re looking to tackle a home renovation yourself or maybe just spruce up a room with a new coat of paint, you’ve probably heard that any project should be approached with a “safety first” mindset, but do you know how? avoid the leading causes of serious injuries faced by DIYers while working on projects?
Here’s a quick look at the most common ways people hurt themselves during home renovations or DIY projects and how to prevent them.
Explaining good security practices
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s workplace safety program (training known as OSHA 10-30) teaches that “hazard elimination” is the best rule of thumb for injury prevention. That is, anything dangerous that shouldn’t be there should be removed, and any potentially dangerous steps that you don’t want should be avoided.
While OSHA training is focused on workplace safety, even the average DIY home improvement enthusiast can learn a lot from this approach. The multi-level approach is implemented as follows:
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Removing the Hazard
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Risk reduction
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Individual protection means
The basic line of reasoning is that danger should be avoided first. If they cannot be avoided, they should be mitigated using injury prevention techniques. Finally, personal protective equipment should always be used and serve as the last line of defense. Taken together, these tips represent the most compelling advice anyone considering a home improvement project of their own will receive regarding workplace safety. Taking the time to think through the possible hazards and plan to eliminate, mitigate, and protect against them will save you most trips to the emergency room.
waterfall
Falls are the second leading cause of accidental death after poisoning and overdose. While a significant portion of these injuries occur in adults over 65, slippery or clogged floors are often to blame for the remainder. Keeping extension cords folded and wiping up spills as you go to avoid creating slippery conditions can help prevent many trip and fall injuries in your home shop.
Accidents on the stairs
In addition to the previous point, falls from ladders account for 81% of fall injuries, so ladder safety is critical. To avoid injury when using a ladder, the first step is to avoid climbing it unless absolutely necessary. In some cases, it is better to use an extension cord or other device to complete a task than to climb a ladder.
If you do need to climb, make a plan to get your tools and materials safely to where you need them, rather than risk going up and down too many stairs or carrying too much at once; this will significantly reduce the risk of falling. Make sure you’re using the right size ladder for what you’re doing, i.e. don’t stand on the top two steps of the ladder, don’t lean too far to either side of the ladder, and don’t install an extension ladder. at an angle of less than 75 degrees (or one foot from the wall for every four feet of stairs climbed). All of these safety considerations will help reduce your risk of falling.
Saws and blades
Injuries from cutting tools such as saws and knives result in thousands of emergency room visits each year. The majority of these are caused by table saws, which injure approximately 33,000 people each year. Dull knives, dull saws, and unprotected blades are also leading causes of blade contact injuries. If you use a table saw, you may want to consider purchasing a SawStop , which, when used correctly, reduces the risk of these injuries to virtually zero (yes, I said cuts). Although these machines are expensive, starting at around $3,600, they are much less expensive than reattaching a finger.
As with other causes of injury, good planning and a good dose of common sense can also help you reduce the risk of blade injuries. Place saws on stable work surfaces, use safety guards provided by the manufacturer, and sharpen tools regularly to reduce the risk of injury. Also, when working with tools with blades, you must wear work gloves and other personal protective equipment.
Eye injuries
DIY eye injuries are a leading cause of emergency room visits. Most eye injuries occur as a result of falls, so to avoid such injuries, see the information above about ladders and fall safety. Other eye injuries associated with DIY projects include objects such as debris, dust, or other debris getting into the eyes. In most cases, this can be avoided by wearing appropriate safety glasses , but sweeping as you go, using a vacuum cleaner to keep dust to a minimum, and choosing tools with guards and bags to reduce debris are also good ways to reduce the risk.
Burn injuries
Although burn injuries account for only about 0.4% of hospital visits, that’s still thousands of people a year treated for preventable injuries. Burns can be caused by an accidental fire in a home, including a store. Flammable liquids such as spray paint, adhesives and oils should be stored in appropriate storage containers, and heat sources should always be carefully controlled. Additionally, unexpected chemical reactions, such as reactions with oil-based or cement-based stains, can also cause burns. Always dry stain rags in a well-ventilated area and never leave them unattended until they are completely dry. Avoid direct skin contact with uncured cement and use gloves and long sleeves to protect your skin.