4 Safety Precautions To Utilize During A Remodel

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The decision to remodel your space puts you in good company. Together, you have spent over $400 billion on supplies and other items related to the process. Also, this urge to remodel increased during the COVID-19 crisis of 2020.

Excitement Can Lead To Injury

There’s a lot of excitement with a home remodel. The planning, choosing colors & furniture, and taking your location to the next level might cause you to act irrationally. However, take a step back before you start.

The worst renovation injuries are due to a lack of caution about a project. Pushing forward without a cohesive plan or the right tools cause you and your helpers to slip, trip, and fall. As a result, the remodel might cost you more in hospitalization than materials.

There are ways to minimize the risks during this type of project. Here are 4 safety precautions to utilize during a remodel.

Keep Areas Clean

During your remodel you’ll break down certain areas and replace the materials with new products. You’ll also require tools and hardware to complete those tasks. All of this ends up in large piles on the floor.

This is dangerous for several reasons. First, unseen nails and screws cause cuts and puncture wounds. Second, there’s every chance you’ll trip over something. While that might not be bad, the resulting fall into a pile of debris could cause serious injuries. Third, you won’t be able to set up ladders or other equipment to complete your actions.

You need to keep all surfaces clean as you move through the remodel. Whatever you tear out must be immediately disposed of. You may need to rent a dumpster to make this quick. If you need tools or hardware, then keep them to the side until needed. Or purchase a tool belt to keep everything close at hand.

Establish Fall Protection

Serious injuries related to falls are in the top five common issues when remodeling a space. These occur when you utilize a ladder or other piece of equipment to reach an elevated surface. Uneven surfaces or poorly designed equipment are the main causes for people to get injured.

Fall protection is critical if working on elevates areas is a major part of the remodel. On top of the aforementioned debris clearing, you need to look into equipment that is sturdier than a wooden stepladder. Scaffolding is one example to look into. Companies like Scaffolding Rental and Sales have scaffolds to fit any type of remodeling.

Fully adjustable, this piece of equipment can be configured as a platform to use when accessing elevated areas. In turn, you comfortably sit or stand without performing unnecessary stretches to reach an area.

Turn Off The Electricity

Before you perform the first task in your remodeling plan you need to examine the contents of your circuit breaker box. Check each one and, if needed, label what areas they’re connected to. Then, when you’re ready to tear down a room, turn the power off.

Make sure everything is shut down with a multimeter or a plug-in tool the power of the measured output. You don’t want to remove items and hit a live wire or outlet. The shock from that causes intense damage.

Check For Gas Lines

If your project involves an extension to your home, then you can’t do a thing until you locate the gas lines. If not, you can sever one in the midst of digging up your property. This not only endangers you and your home but also your neighbors.

The best thing to do is call the gas company and have them come out to your house. They’ll examine the space and mark areas where gas lines exist. Even then, be careful when digging to create space for your foundation.

The above tips are going to help you be a smart remodeler. Overall, you don’t want to end up with an incomplete project and thousands of dollars of medical bills. So, make sure to follow these steps without modification.

Also, go slow and have patience. Injuries occur when people decide to cut corners to make a deadline. If you follow your plans and make all of the necessary renovations, the remodel will be completed before you know it.