Most Common DIY Injuries

Life under quarantine has caused everyone to step out of their elements a little. As a way to stay occupied while cooped up in the house, there was a rising trend in baking and home improvement projects. Now before you handy maddy’s and manny’s start demoing your kitchens, be sure to proceed with caution, stay safe, and consult with a professional when necessary. The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) collected data on the top 20 most dangerous home improvement tools and we’re here to help you avoid some of these common DIY injuries, and keep at least some of your fingers as you take on the biggest challenge of home ownership! 

Projects for Professionals

Any home improvement project that includes a task that would be taught in trade school, should generally be left to tradesmen of that field. Home DIY projects are more popular than ever and for safety’s sake, it’s important to know what you can and shouldn’t do on your own. Electrical, plumbing, gas line or roofing projects, and those that involve dangerous substances like asbestos, lead paint and mold, should not be done by inexperienced homeowners. Common household chemicals like ammonia, bleach, pesticides, and herbicides all contain toxic substances that can poison children, adults, and pets. According to the National Safety Council,  poisoning accounts for 2.2 percent of injury-related emergency department visits, and poisoning, depending on the substance and amount consumed, can be fatal. It’s best to consult with and hire skilled, professional contractors to reduce potential risks to you or members of your household for the proper removal of hazardous substances and to manage potentially dangerous projects, small or large. 

Costly DIY home improvement mistakes are most common with amateur demolitions, you want to create a more open space and wham! You burst a water line or tear through some live wires and now you and your wallet are in for a world of hurt that all could have been avoided with the simple consultation of a professional. If you’re determined to do the demolition on your DIY, reference your home drawings to find where live wire, studs, and pipes are prior to breaking ground. 

Tools to Handle with Care

Even the most professional of tradesmen will tell you about a time a project took a turn for the worst, and injuries ensued. Even a self proclaimed master home improvement specialist is bound to be nicked or punctured at some point when working with sharp objects.

A common hazard on the job site and on home projects are ladders. Even if you aren’t falling from a multi-story construction zone, a fall is still a fall. Be sure to take proper precautions when using a ladder to complete any DIY home improvement projects. Be sure you’re working with a sturdy ladder and check it’s weight capacity, which should be listed somewhere on the ladder. Always remember to place your ladder on even and steady ground so it stays stable. Never stand on the very top of a ladder, even if the ladder is on steady ground, you could easily lose your footing.

Whenever possible, use a standalone ladder to complete your home improvement projects. If your project requires a ladder that leans on a surface, be sure it’s placed against a solid, stable structure or consult with a professional.Gutter cleaning, roof repair, tree trimming, and changing a light bulb often require the use of a ladder, and according to the National Safety Council, about 9 million nonfatal falls were treated in emergency departments in 2012, accounting for 30 percent of injury-related ER visits.

Injury from power tools is another top reason people end up in the ER when taking on DIY home improvement projects. Their use can save homeowners’ time and money on projects and contractor fees but, they can be extremely dangerous, and anyone who wields a power tool should do so with caution.

To keep yourself and others safe when using a power tool, be sure to keep your work area clean and well lit. Be sure to check the manual to ensure the proper use of power tools and not to use power tools when not necessary to complete a project. Always remember to wear safety glasses, clothed toe shoes, gloves when necessary, and properly fitted clothing. Flying debris can cause eye injury, and loose clothes can easily get caught in power tools and disengaging from the apparatus can be difficult.

Common Bodily Injuries 

Fingers are the most commonly injured body part during home improvements according to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). Fingers, feet and hands account for more than half of these injuries. When using sharp objects be sure to take extra caution. Also, remember to use proper lifting tactics when lifting heavy objects so not to drop them on you or another's hands or feet. When working with dull saws, pruners, scissors, or knives, you tend to press down harder increasing the likeliness of a slip and you could end up cutting yourself. Being cut with a jagged object is arguably much worse than a sharp one. Consider wearing work gloves and make sure your tools are properly sharpened before use and all fasteners are tight. 

Any self defense class will teach you how vulnerable your eyes are to injury and how debilitating and painful an eye injury can be. Your  eyes are extremely vulnerable to dust, debris, and fumes that can be kicked up during a DIY project. Eye protection is an essential when working on a home improvement project, especially when you’re working with things such as power saws, sanders, lawn mowers, shaved material, sharp objects and other equipment.

Doing home improvements yourself can be empowering, cost effective, and very rewarding. If you’re going to take on a DIY project, keep safety in mind at all times and consult a professional for projects large and small. Even if you decide to do the project yourself, a free estimate never hurts, and a professional may be able to give you tips on how to get the job done. In any case, aesthetic DIYs are generally okay for amateur DIY-ers but be sure to leave the real work to professionals. 

For more information on DIYs and to receive a free consult on your next home renovation, give us a call to speak with a representative today!