DIY & Building Basics Avoiding DIY Disasters

Date Published:

28/05/2008

Avoiding DIY Disasters

More than 200,000 people earn themselves a trip to the hospital every year from DIY related accidents. Let 4Homes keep you safe during your DIY exploits.

By Rich Payne

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Know the Dangers

The weekend is prime time to take care of those all-important DIY jobs you've been meaning to do. But it's also a time that sees casualty wards far and wide brimming with DIY dads. But simple planning could avoid the thousands of unnecessary injuries suffered each weekend.

The first step is to take necessary precautions with safety equipment. Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) are urging homeowners to prepare properly for the annual DIY boom. According to spokesperson David Jenkins, one of the major problems is that "far too many DIYers think it's not macho to ask for help or even to use protective equipment such as goggles."

Thinking long and hard about whether you have the skills and knowledge to carry out a DIY job is also essential. Getting the experts in shouldn't be seen as a defeat. As David rightly points out: "It's far better to seek professional advice at the start rather than press on with the job until it's ruined and you've been hurt." Better to hurt your pride than your body, after all.

Jobs that put you at the greatest risk of injury include working at height, for example on a roof or up a ladder, with the latter alone leading to 40,000 hospital admittances every year.

Gas work should NEVER be attempted by anyone other than a CORGI registered tradesperson, and electrical work is highly regulated so make sure you follow all government guidelines, which thankfully include getting in an expert who has been approved by your local authority. Information on these rules can be found at the government's planning portal.

Of course, it goes without saying that children should be kept well away from your DIY projects. But parents need to be extra vigilant about their own health too. David Jenkins of RoSPA is quick to emphasise that planning properly could be the biggest reducer of DIY-related injuries. People need to make sure they've got the skills, tools, materials and time to properly complete a DIY task. Injuries often occur when people are overtired or rushing because of inadequate planning and understanding of exactly what the job entails.