People cost £850m a year in paying builders to sort their DIY problems out. Shockingly, 70 people die a year from DIY disasters, and there are also 200,000 who are injured on top of that. But, a Federation of Master Builders survey believe that roughly 40% of people attempt to do their building work themselves.

DIY disasters

Getting Nailed

It has been known that people decide to; for example, nail their floorboards down in their bathroom with a DIY staple gun. It has also been known for people to do the simplest thing such as loose their balance and fall over. Before you know it the gun has gone off, and you’ve had a nail shot right through a part of your body.

In any disaster like this, it is very important to call 999 straight away, and DO NOT attempt to remove the nail yourself, as you could make things a lot worse.

Boozing

Never consume alcohol before you decide to do some DIY. This could cause all sorts of accidents that some of us probably don’t want to even imagine. Alcohol can make you loose your balance, loose concentration and loose your focus, which means you’re likely to fall off a ladder or chair, or drop sharp or dangerous equipment.

Fire

Never shine a hot torch onto wood when you are doing a spot of DIY. You may think that all is going well and once the job is done it’s done, but fires can take their time to start up, and before you know it all of your days work has gone up in flames.

Chop

If you have ever lifted a safety guard off of a machine while you are in the middle of working, this was a very silly mistake, and it is not wise to be making it again. Without you realising, you could either cut straight through your hand, or bits of material could fly out into your eye, and you will certainly have to be rushed straight into hospital.

Avoiding DIY disasters

The most dangerous tools:

Knives

Saws

Hammers

Power drills

Chisels

Screwdrivers

Accidents are most likely to occur when working with:

Wood or chipboard

Paving and concrete blocks

Metal bars and sheets

Ladder and stepladder accidents cause roughly 41,000 people to be sent to hospital ever year.

Keeping safe:

Don’t rush any jobs or try to fit in too much, as people make more mistakes and have more accidents when they rush or are tired.

Plan out what you are going to be doing, and see if you need to employ a professional to help with specialist jobs such as plumbing, roofing or electrical work. Remember that a qualified electrician must carry out certain types of electrical work.

Give you’re equipment an MOT before you start, and check that your ladders are not wobbly or broken, and electrical cables aren’t frayed.

Don’t take risks or shortcuts. Rather than overstretching, get off of the ladder and move it! It’ll save you time in the long run if you avoid a broken arm.

Make sure you know how to use equipment properly. Read the safety manual and follow instructions. If you’re not sure, get professional advice before attempting to use it.

Wear protective gear. Safety glasses will protect your eyes from grit and dripping paint, and gardening gloves will help avoid splinters when moving wood. You must wear sensible shoes to protect your feet from objects dropping from above, and sharp edges or objects on the floor.

Lift objects safely and protect your back by bending your knees when picking up objects, and ask someone to help you move large or particularly heavy items.

Keep rooms well ventilated if you’re using materials such as paint or glue that create fumes.

Make sure pets and children are kept away from any dangerous materials or equipment, including tempting playthings such as ladders.

Keep electrical equipment away from sources of water and turn off the electricity, gas or water at the mains if you are working with any connected equipment.

Be aware of trailing electrical wires and watch out for wiring behind the walls when drilling.

When working in the loft or taking up floorboards, lay down boards to help you walk between the joists to avoid falling through any ceilings.

If it’s possible make sure you don’t work alone and make sure that someone else knows where you are and what you’re doing. This way if you fall or get into difficulty, help will be on hand quickly.