Renovating your home can be a lot of hard work and a lot of fun. Whether you’re redoing the whole house or just one room, you need to complete various tasks to finish the project.
Safety should be one of the first things to come to mind when you start any home refurbishment. If you’re unsure what to look out for, we’ve put together a list of safety tips to help you.
Plan Your Project
The first step towards a safe working environment is to plan the project and tasks. Break down the activities in terms of the type of work it requires. You can also allocate certain areas to various functions.
So if you’re going to be doing a lot of woodwork, designate an area where all the tools and materials are in one place. The same goes for each of the jobs. In this way, you won’t have people trying to climb over each other or getting in the way of hazardous work such as welding or drilling.
It also helps you plan what kind of safety equipment you need. For example, welding requires a special helmet and gloves. Take a look at your home insurance policy to see any stipulations regarding cover while renovating.
Prepare a First Aid Box
Accidents do happen, so it’s best to be prepared rather than caught short. Inspect your home first aid kit and make sure that you’ve replenished any missing items.
Some of the more important ones to have on hand are: bandages, gauze, disinfectant, and burn ointment. Stock up on band-aids too, since splinters and scratches are common when renovating.
Read Instructions
Reading the instructions is a simple but effective way to ensure you’re not using tools incorrectly. Watching DIY videos is excellent, but nothing beats reading a manual on using a machine written by the people who made it.
It’s not only for assembling or installing heavy equipment but even for simple tasks such as mixing paint. Mixing the wrong quantities could result in a blend that gives you a different outcome than you planned. It will waste time and money if you have to redo something because you didn’t follow instructions.
Check Your Tools
If you plan on using electric hand tools, take the time to check each one. Check to see if the tool works properly and isn’t damaged. It’s especially important to do these checks if you haven’t used some of the equipment in a long time.
You don’t want to get shocked due to faulty cables or outdated tools. Doing the once over will also save you time since you don’t want to be in the middle of a task to find out that the tool you need is broken.
Correct Safety Wear
No matter what type of work you’ll be doing, you have to protect yourself from mishaps. You’ll need gloves to protect your hands from getting injured. Use protective eyewear to prevent any debris or dust from getting into your eyes.
Earmuffs help to dull the loud noise of heavy machinery and protect your hearing. Finally, make sure you wear closed shoes and, if possible, overalls to protect your body.
Know Your Limits
We all have a bit of a DIY guru within us and think we can tackle anything on our own. There’s no doubt you have skills, but everyone has limits.
Know when to call in the professionals to take over rather than risk your safety and those around you. It’s best to do this if part of your renovations includes electrical or plumbing work.
Final Thoughts
Tackling a renovation project involves a lot of planning and preparation. Make sure that you keep safety a priority by creating designated areas for certain tasks. It makes it easier to control the risks of performing certain jobs.
Restock your first aid box and make sure you have an adequate supply of basics such as plasters and bandages. Read instructions for any tools you need to use and any items you have to assemble.
Check all your tools before using them, and wear the appropriate protective gear. If you feel that you’re not sure about doing something yourself, call in the professionals who do the job properly and safely.
