Apr: Home Improvements

Information Sheet
April 2023

Decorating, Home Alterations, Gardening

This is the start of the activity time of year so it is also when accidents start. New unfamiliar, old unserviced tools and equipment can be brought out. Not always a good start. Any job requires thought, some need drawings, some do not, the job still needs doing safely.

Always start with the right clothing: comfortable trousers that do not flap, comfortable shoes with a good fit and good soles,  upper-body covering with good fitting sleeves/ short sleeves/ no sleeves and good body fit. In some areas, a good hat/hard hat, safety glasses/goggles and ear defenders. In some areas, a good pair of work gloves. Be aware that skirts can blow around and flap and not a good thing to wear if on steps or ladder.

Do not lean too far to the sides if on steps or ladders and always try to have someone “footing” a ladder, they should be looking at you, not having a conversation with someone. They are a safety person.

Pots of paint should not be placed near the bottom of a ladder, they should be kept in a single place where you know where they all are. When working off a ladder, hang the pot of paint off the ladder so that you have one hand free to hold the ladder.

Do not put a ladder up or climb ladders if it is windy. If a ladder is up in the wind, take it down and put it in a safe position. Keep steps level when working off them.

Keep dust cloths flat so that you do not trip on any creases, especially stairs.

When/if you use tools, that are supposed to be sharp, keep them sharp. I personally sharpen tools  during and after use, a blunt tool can be more dangerous than a sharp one. Set up good working habits when working with any tool. Keep your work area clean and clear.

Throw away wood, hand saws, no-one can tell you how long it will last. If it starts to stick, or bend, get rid of it before it can possibly hurt you. You can not sharpen them, the steel is too hard. Not like an old standard saw.

Lawn mowers are serious machines. There are generally two types of cutting action, one with multiple blades rotating across the width of the machine (1). The other with, usually, 2 to 3 horizontally rotating blades under the body of the machine (2).

With No 1 machine, send/take to a garden machine service engineer for blade sharpening. It is a specialist job. With No 2 machine, You can sharpen it with a file for the job. You follow the existing angle on the blade and count the number of strokes used and their general spacing along each glade, this is to keep each blade balanced - or send/take it to a service engineer.

Then there is the hedge trimmer and the chain saw. The hedge trimmer can be sharpened at home with the right tools as long as any fash is taken off the back of the blade so that the moving blade  can pass the stationary blade. Or send/take it to a service engineer.

With the chain saw, It is possible to sharpen it at home with the right tools but there is a little more to it than the hedge  trimmer. It might be better to take it to a service engineer.

If any of the tools mentioned above are electric, unplug them before you attempt any work on them.

Do not over-reach when using tools, especially when working off ladders and/or steps.
Always unplug electrical tools when not in use.
Do not allow young children near electrical tools whether they are on or off.
Do not allow young children near hand tools, especially if they are sharp.
Remember, tools are not toys.

In First Aid terms:

Babies are birth to 1 year
Children are 1 year to puberty
Adults are puberty to end of life

If you have any new tools, get the feel of them, any mains electric/battery tools, read the instructions even if you have bought a new electric drill to replace an old one. Get used to the torque, speed control, forward and reverse controls, weight and size.

Hand tools, get used to them, practice with them, safety matters. When working with garden tools make sure that any handles are fit for purpose. Be sure that any flex on any mains electric tool is fit for purpose. NO patches of electrical tape and the correct fuse in the plug.

Accidents can happen anywhere and at any time. The above article gives you a few areas to be aware of.

If you are a DIY person, it would be prudent for you and your family to know First Aid. It could save a lot of time with the current A&E and Ambulance problems.

Call Life Saving Solutions Limited, we can probably help you save that time.
Take care and enjoy your projects.

This article, by it’s nature, is not fully comprehensive.