DIY Dangers: Common Home Improvement Health Hazards

DIY dangers can turn home improvement from a source of fun and satisfaction into a nightmare of health hazards. Common home improvement safety mistakes include inadequate lung, hand, eye, and ear protection while you're working. Read on to discover the potential health hazards that come with inadequate protection, and learn how to safeguard yourself against common DIY dangers like solvent fumes and airborne particulate matter. A little bit of education about DIY dangers can mean the difference between nipping health hazards in the bud or suffering lasting physical damage as a result of a home improvement project. You'll need to consult experts at a hardware store or in the construction field to pinpoint the specific safety requirements of your particular project, but these best practices will get you off to a good start.

Airborne Toxins

If you're working in an area that contains toxic materials like asbestos, or you're working with materials which give off toxic fumes, as most solvents do, it's crucial to wear a filter that will keep toxic materials out of your body's airways. Along with making sure that the area you're working in is cross-ventilated, a filter over your mouth is a must during any home improvement project that involves toxic particles or vapors. One of the best sources of affordable lung protection for the DIY enthusiast is the dual-cartridge respirator. To keep yourself consistently safe, remember to properly replace the filters in the cartridges according to the frequency required for your specific brand and model of respirator. Not all respirators are alike, so to avoid health hazards, make sure you know when your particular model needs the filters changed. If you opt for a low-cost disposable particle filter mask instead of a dual-cartridge respirator for your home improvement projects, be sure to clean the front of a lightly soiled particle filter mask with a vacuum as soon as you remove your mask. This will keep any toxic particles stirred up during your home improvement task from circulating freely, and potentially entering your airways. Once your mask becomes heavily soiled, it's time to dispose of it and grab a new filter before your next home improvement project.

Skin Irritants

If you're doing a home improvement project, your hands will probably see a little bit of grime. Dirt on its own is hardly a health hazard, but certain kinds of oil-based or solvent-based liquids can be serious DIY dangers that do lasting damage. If you're taking on a home improvement project that involves oil or solvent based liquids (like many popular paints and stains), keep your hands protected while you work, and practice smart clean-up. If you're using a solvent-based liquid (many varnishes and sealants fall into this category, so check the label of any product you'll be using), wear heavy rubber gloves throughout that phase of your home improvement project. If you're working with oil or with oil-based liquids, you don't need to wear gloves while you work, but you will want to do some quick, thorough cleanup as soon as you're done with your home improvement task. Wipe your hands clean with an edible oil like canola or peanut oil to displace any particulate matter or toxic irritants, then wash the harmless edible oil off with soap. Many people believe that it is a good idea to clean oils off skin with kerosene, mineral spirits, or solvents; although oils may bond to these liquids, giving your hands a clean appearance, using them on your bare skin is a substantial DIY danger! These hazardous materials will irritate your skin on the surface, and can even be absorbed into your body through the skin cells.

Sight Threats

Some of the most powerful DIY dangers threaten your sight by way of the delicate, easily scratched surface of your eyes. No matter what your home improvement project is, it's a smart best practice to wear safety googles to protect your eyes from toxic particles in the air, as well as from dust. Although airborne matter may seem more like an annoyance than like a health hazard while you're working, rough particles of wood or metal can easily scratch the surface of your eye or even your cornea, so don't let your home improvement gusto put your sight at risk. A hat with a brim, like a baseball cap, is also a smart DIY safety accessory, as it will help keep airborne dust and sawdust away from your eyes. If you do get toxic materials or irritants in your eye, it's important to flush the offending matter out of your eye as quickly as possible, so stop working immediately, and grab your eyewash kit ASAP to prevent lasting injury. Be sure to stock an eyewash kit, and some sterile face cloths or disposable wipes for cleaning the areas around your eyes. A well-stocked first aid kit is a home improvement necessity, and is an especially important part of eye protection.

Hearing Damage

Once damage to your hearing is done, there's no going back, so ear protection during home improvement is a matter of preventative practice. If you're using power tools, it's crucial to pack and use ear plugs. Without ear plugs, the sound of loud power tools can cause permanent damage to the upper and lower range of your hearing, causing hearing loss or a permanent ringing in your ears called "tinnitus," so put your earplugs in before you get to work. Although subtle DIY health hazards like hearing or sight damage may not be as intuitive as obvious dangers like solvents, they're still substantial DIY dangers, so stay vigilant and always consider whether your level of self-protection is adequate before you get started on a home improvement task.