Working at Home Safely
Are you a “do-it-yourselfer” when it comes to home projects? Do you like to break out the tool kit and take care of home repairs by yourself so you don’t have to hire someone to do it? Or maybe taking care of these small projects gives you a sense of accomplishment? Well, either way, what you need to remember first and foremost is to practice safety in your performance of these projects. Here are a few tips to keep in mind–
- Ladders – Be sure and position ladders correctly at a 75 degree angle from the ground. This means that there should be about one foot between the bottom of the wall and the base of the ladder for every four feet of ladder height. Also, be sure and do not reach or lean out to the side of the ladder–climb down and reposition the ladder when needed.
- Gloves – Wear gloves to protect your hands. Be sure and keep a couple of pairs of gloves handy–one made of heavy cloth and one made of leather.
- Eyewear – Be sure and wear special protective eyewear whenever you are working with a tool or on a project that could send debris into your face and eye area.
- Read the Instructions - Before using a new tool or undertaking a project requiring assembly, be sure and read the instructions thoroughly.
- Never work in a risky location alone - If you are going to be working in the attic or on the roof, be sure that someone else is around in case you get into trouble or fall. If you are alone and have an accident, you could lay there for hours before help arrives.
- Turn off the power when working with electricity - No matter how minor the choir, don’t take any chances with electricity. Turn off the power at the main power control panel before dealing with any electrical repairs.
- Wear protective footwear - Don’t attempt to do choirs around the house with bare feet or sandals. Wear boots or leather footwear to protect your feet.
These are just a few simple rules that will make doing chores around the house productive, fun as well as safe.
