Risk Assessing All of Your DIY Tasks

When you think of the term 'risk assessment' you probably think of professionals undertaking major projects, but conducting a small risk assessment yourself, before you undertake any task really can help you to keep safe on the job. Minimising wasted time and money by fully identifying all the risks you are potentially facing before you start. Taking your time to plan your project is always worthwhile, whatever the scope of the project. From working out exactly how many kitchen floor tiles you need, to making sure you have the right tools for the job. Take time to consider what could go wrong, what problems you could come across along the way. Perhaps you have a large family who may be the cause of many interruptions. You can class that as a risk. Distractions cause many accidents and could usually have been easily avoided by simply communicating to those living in your home to keep out of the way! Another risk is that your tools aren't up to the job. Check any tools you will need to use before you begin. Make sure tools are sharp and in good condition. Take extra care with power tools. Ensure cables are not frayed and that they are fully working. This is especially important if you don't use your tools on a regular basis. Consider your own safety too. If a job involves carrying anything heavy, it may be a good idea to wear steel toe capped boots. Many simple jobs can become dangerous if there's a chance of flying debris. Anything from pressure washing your patio to removing porcelain floor tiles can cause loose chips or shards to fly off at high speed. Again this is easily remedied. Protect your eyes by wearing a pair of safety goggles or glasses. If there is likely to be dust in the air, a mask would help to prevent you inhaling it and minimise the dangers of inhaling the dust into your lungs. These safety measures are so cheap you really shouldn't skimp on them, not when your health is at risk. Also it's a good idea to assess your own ability to do the job. If there are aspects of the job you're not comfortable with then you should either do some extra research to fully learn how to complete the task, or else find a professional to do this part of the job for you. If part of the job involves electrics or gas for example, it's very wise to employ a professional, attempting this type of work yourself without being fully trained can be potentially very dangerous. Errors may not be immediately obvious and can cause a big accident at a later date. You could also find that if you have done the work yourself and not done it correctly, and this then causes a fire, your home insurance policy could well be invalid. Don't rush into DIY. Take your time and plan your job well in advance and you'll definitely save time in the long run. You'll also avoid making some mistakes that could be costly to both your personal safety and your pocket.