Family safety tips during home renovations

We have been working on our home since we moved in last Dec

Home renovations can be at once both exciting and stressful, a chance to inject your own personality into the place you live and to look back with pride at your workmanship and design skills. For safety and convenience it is best to move the family out of the house for the duration of the renovation. But that is in a perfect world and, as we don’t all live in a perfect world, a complete evacuation of the home is not always possible. Therefore, additional measures may need to be taken to keep everyone out of harm’s way. Here are a few tips to ensure your family is safe during your next home renovation project.

Watch your Height Issues

During most renovations, there is always going to be a time when you or your contractor is required to work on ladders, scaffolds or other height equipment. This is one area where safety should never be compromised in order to save a few bucks. Falls from a height due to shoddy gear, incorrectly installed equipment or not knowing how to work safely off the ground are the greatest contributors to worksite injuries. You should also know how to keep people who shouldn’t be there – such as children – from climbing your height equipment when you aren’t about. Don’t take chances and seek professional height advice from websites like www.safeatheightsqld.com.au to properly set up your

climbing equipment.

Mr A learning about gardening tools and how to respect them

Respect your Tools

You may be undertaking your own renovations at home, but that doesn’t mean the tools you use are any less dangerous. Whether you are using drills, chainsaws, a jackhammer or electric hammers, always ensure you follow the safety procedures specified in the owner’s manual or operating instructions. If you are using these while the family is around, make sure they are all aware of what you are doing and the dangers of getting in the way. And always put your tools away when you are finished with them. You don’t want inquisitive little fingers getting hold of them.

The same goes for waste and rubbish disposal and making sure any sharp objects are put away or placed in an area that is not accessible to young children. If you are going to be doing a larger-scale renovation then you will need a dumpster. When looking for dumpster rental you might be wondering - is there a dumpster hire company in your area? This is where a quick search online will benefit you greatly. Hiring a skip or dumpster for rubble, debris and junk is the safest way to dispose of waste.

Wear Protective Gear

Protective wear has been designed for a reason, and not just for the larger construction sites. Always wear protective gear like hard hats, ear muffs, eye protection, gloves and steel cap boots when using equipment or pulling down walls and ceilings. High-visibility vests and other clothing aren’t absolutely necessary on private home renovations, but they can’t hurt.

Mr A wearing his protective workman ear muffs at a festival

Leave some Jobs for the Professionals

The hardest part for any home renovator is accepting that there are some jobs they can’t and should not do. Working with electricity, gas and water should be left to the professionals who are trained and well-versed in safety responses should anything go wrong. Doing it yourself puts you, your family and your home at risk not only during the renovation but long afterwards. If there is a fire or accident even years after the renovation, and it is discovered you or an unlicensed contractor did the electrical installation, you will find you are not covered by your insurance policy.

Some of the work we have done ourselves while other jobs we employed professionals

Doing the renovations to your own home, and doing as much of it as you can yourself, is both satisfying and an opportunity to save money. But don’t let the thrill put you and your family at risk. Home renovation turns your house into a construction site, bringing with it all the associated dangers. Remember to work smart and follow the safety advice of the professionals.