Whether you plan to construct a house extension, build a garage or spice up the decor at home, there are always things that could go terribly wrong. Attempting DIY without much knowledge can lead to serious injuries or problems with your property, so here are five of DIY’s golden safety rules that you should always be following for any DIY project regardless of the scale.
Rule #1: Always wear the correct clothing
No matter what type of DIY work you’re doing, make sure you dress appropriately. Don’t wear loose clothing because it can get caught in tools and injure you, and if you’re going to do painting or something that could make your clothes dirty, then you should be wearing something appropriate like an apron or a spare shirt. You also want to be mobile when doing DIY work, so wear clothing that isn’t too tight but feels comfortable to move with. If you’re working with heavy materials, then purchase a pair of steel toe cap boots to help protect your feet.
Rule #2: Declutter the area before performing any work
No one likes to trip over DIY materials or tools around the house, so make sure you declutter the area you’re working on before you start anything. This is to ensure you have plenty of space to store your DIY equipment and so you don’t end up losing things, getting paint all over the furniture or kicking up dust in places that are hard to clean.
Rule #3: Always perform an inspection for demanding improvements
Anytime you plan a demanding improvement such as a loft renovation, make sure you carry out a building inspection first to ensure that there are no complications. You might be wondering when was asbestos used in your home, if at all, and if it could become an issue for your renovation. There’s no safe level of exposure to asbestos, so take every precaution you can. In addition, you’ll also want to ensure that there are no structural problems that could be worsened by your DIY work.
Rule #4: Ask for assistance when needed
DIY stands for do it yourself, but it’s rare to actually perform the work on your own. This is because most DIY projects take several people to complete efficiently and safely. For instance, if you’re working on your roof, then you’ll want someone to spot you and hold the ladder while you scale it to reach your roof. It always helps to have extra pairs of hands to split the work and make things safer for yourself.
Rule #5: Don’t use tools you don’t know how to handle
If you read a five-minute guide on how to use a drill, then don’t even consider turning it on. Do ample research on how to use power tools properly, the correct safety measures to take when using them and what they can actually do for you. For example, if you’re going to use a drill to make holes in a wall, then you want the correctly sized drill bits in order for the screws to fit.
