How to limit the risk of injury during renovations?

With the impending arrival of spring, many homeowners are considering taking on home renovation projects. However, all aspects of home renovations need to be considered, including proper safety methods. Injuries that can occur during renovations range from uncomfortable joint pain to something as serious as a missing limb.

For this reason, it is crucial for even the most novice of homeowners to know how to stay safe while on a job site. We’ve taken the time to go over the various ways to keep body and mind protected during your next project. So, we’re hoping you’ll take a few moments to read over the key ways to keep free from harm.

Tips to follow to stay safe during your next home renovation project!

Proper Equipment

source: Pixabay, stevepb

Having the correct safety equipment when taking on a home renovation project is key to staying safe. Firstly, let’s tackle the hard hat. The risk of a serious head injury isn’t a joking matter, and wearing a hard hat is the easiest way to protect against this. Unfortunately, this is an often-neglected safety precaution.

However, hard hats are important in that they work to protect one of the most crucial parts of the body: the head. A hard hat can protect against falling objects, as well as tripping and falling accidents that might find you tumbling to the ground. The hard hat may look silly, but it won’t be so funny when you wind up with a severe head injury, so consider this step a serious one.

Safety glasses or any form of protective eyewear are necessary during painting jobs, sanding surfaces, completing minor repairs or in any situation where debris may fly through the air. Work gloves are another excellent addition to safety equipment, protecting against splinters as well as nicks and cuts.

Further, since work gloves protect hands, it is easier to manipulate materials while wearing them. Protective clothing including long sleeves, long pants and proper footwear, which will be dependant on the job, should all be considered. Also, if working with heavy machinery, earplugs may be necessary to protect eardrums, as well as to prevent against headaches.

Lift Heavy Items Correctly

If you are taking on a project that involves a lot of heavy lifting, it is important to lift items in the correct method.  Lifting a heavy item incorrectly can put a strain on your lower back, and lead to serious back injuries that could cause long-term problems. When picking up heavy objects, you should always bend your knees to squat down and grab the item, keeping the weight in your legs and straightening them to stand up. Do not lift items by leaning over, as this is the way to cause major lower back injuries.

Dangerous Fumes

source: Pixabay, navhaxs

In older buildings as well as some of the newer ones, there is the potential risk for toxic materials to be present, including but not limited to lead and asbestos. Asbestos is a group of dangerous minerals that occur in natural bundles of fibre. In homes built before 1985, it was used as insulation, as well as a fire and soundproofing material. Renovation projects that involve tearing out walls or ceilings can lead to the release of asbestos into the surrounding air.

If inhaled into the lungs, these fibres can cause, and are often linked to, several respiratory conditions, including lung disorders and lung cancer. The removal of asbestos should be performed by an asbestos removal contractor only. If you suspect the presence of asbestos or lead in your home, make sure to get in touch with a qualified contractor before taking on the job.

If you’re not sure whether asbestos can be found in the walls of your home, consider wearing respiratory protective gear for any renovation project you’re taking on. There are plenty of basic nose and face masks that exist on the market, as well as more sophisticated models that prevent or eliminate large particles from entering your body’s airways.

A full respirator type mask may be necessary for humid environments. Regardless of the climate, these devices should be worn when working with chemicals of any sort, including paints, stains, solvents and any form of fibre insulation.