Power tools are a lot safer than what they used to be; just take a look at any new device on the market and you’ll see that it is amped up with top of the range features designed for optimum safety. As reassuring as this seems, don’t think you can whip out your chainsaw without the proper protection because the new style of the front hand guard is designed to reduce the risk of injury. Freak accidents are going to happen whether you like them or not; and they are more likely to happen when you are operating machinery. Take a look at these common products everyone should use when taking on a D.I.Y project.
Shoes
Sandals are not adequate forms of protective footwear – trust me, I’ve got the sliced Achilles injury to prove it. As tempting as it can be to wear open toed footwear or your regular runners (or perhaps your blue suede shoes!) they simply won’t shield your feet from falling trees, dropped electrical tools or god forbid – breaking glass. For any job, big or small, invest in a pair of good quality work boots with a steel cap inserted.
Gloves
Gloves are a very basic, inexpensive and easy to find form of protective wear. They are used for a multitude of purposes and will act as a first line of defence for your hands and arms. They can prevent blisters and callouses when using your hands in a repetitive motions and avert any minor cuts and grazes. We found that Stihl has a great range of safety gloves, check out http://www.stihl.com.au/ to see their range.
Glasses
No glasses? That’s alright, just squint your eyes at whatever you’re doing and look at it with your head on an angle. There’s no denying that we’ve all done it before. Chances were, a piece of airborne debris got in your eyeball anyway. Now, just imagine you were wearing safety glasses; that bit of wood probably would have just rebounded off your specs, leaving you to get on with the job. As simple as it sounds, get yourself a pair of safety glasses to ensure your peepers are kept intact.
Fire Extinguisher
A fire extinguisher will stop most common fires and while every home should have one, reality begs to differ. Imagine if your cord power device haywires are starts flaming? Having a fire extinguisher readily available that is properly charged will dampen the blaze in its tracks.
Respirator and Dust Mask
Your lungs are one of the most important parts of your body to take care of; working with harmful substances like asbestos or mould will have life damaging effects on your respiratory system. However a respirator is not to be confused with a dust mask as they both have very different purposes. A respirator will trap toxic particles and purify the air prior to entering your body and a dust mask is a synthetic filtering device designed to stop dust, debris and dirt from entering your nose a mask.
How do you make your work site safe? Tell us your tips in the comments below.