Best Practices For Home Improvement Safety

In today’s busy home improvement industry, where there is an increased focus on quick turnaround times and lower costs of doing business, safety practices can sometimes be over looked and neglected. However, when it comes to safety, cutting corners to save money can end up costing you more than what you saved.  Therefore, it is important to ensure safety practices are in place and obeyed for any home improvement project or renovation.

Here is a list of general safety practices that workers and home owners should ensure are always followed. (Please note this list is not an all-inclusive list and all Occupational Health and Safety Regulations should also be practiced.)

Wear appropriate safety apparel

This might seem obvious and you might be thinking that every company has this policy in place. However, this policy is often not enforced, making it one of the most dangerous. To ensure a safe working environment, strictly enforce the following appeal requirements: avoid loose fitting clothes, remove jewelry, wear proper foot protection, hard hat, hearing protection, and safety glasses.

Work Areas Must be Well Lit

This tip is one of the most commonly over looked safety practices. Even if the sun is at high noon, poorly lit construction environments such as tight interior spaces or basements can create safety risks. To ensure work areas are well lit, utilize ample aerial lighting and light towers.

Use Caution Tape and/or Barriers Around Hazardous Areas

This tip is extremely important. Most construction sites have many people working around the area doing different jobs. Therefore, it is impossible for everyone to know every detail and hazard of the job. Using caution tape and safety barriers around hazards, such as holes/trenches or low hanging wires, is an effective way of warning and keeping everyone safe.

Ensure all Materials and Equipment are Properly Stored

This tip might also seem pretty obvious, but it is one that often gets overlooked with home renovations. When storing materials such as lumber and pipe, make sure no falling hazards exist by storing them on a solid and level surface. Likewise, be sure to store equipment and materials in a location that doesn’t interfere with workflow. When equipment is not in use, ensure all parking assists are set and all attachments are resting securely on the ground.

Ensure all Safety Features are Installed and Working

This is one of the most neglected rules within home improvement work sites. Just about every tool or piece of heavy equipment has safety features, such as guards or warning lights/sirens. These safety features are there for a reason, and should not be tampered with or removed. Each day before starting work, you should thoroughly check all safety features on your equipment to ensure they are in working condition to protect you and those around you.

Enforcing these safety practices will help create a safe working environment for your next home improvement project. Stop ignoring safety practices today and get involved with your renovation team to ensure safety policies are observed.

If you have any additional safety tips or helpful insights for ensuring safety polices are observed, please tell us in the comments section below!

Author: Brian Reilly is news analyst and writer for the construction industry. When he’s not covering the latest trends and product releases you can find Brian in the outdoors fishing, hiking, and camping across the US.