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Safety tips when renovating or building a house - part 2

25/8/2020

12 Comments

 
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Image courtesy of radnatt at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
In our last article we discussed how important safety considerations were when doing home renovation and home construction projects. Do not hurt yourself while renovating or building your home. Safety tips.
​
Accidents happen quickly and far to often, especially for the inexperienced builder, or someone not using the correct equipment, or when a home builder is tired, in a hurry, or trying to save money. No time or cost saving is worth the risk of a serious injury. ​
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Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay
In this article we look at more safety tips:
  • Ensure that live services have been disconnected where there’s a possibility you could damage them. Turn off gas and power when you’re working near electrical wires and gas pipes. Ensure these can’t be turned on accidentally by somebody unaware that you’re working near them.
  • Never leave live electrical wires exposed.
  • Keep all work areas clean and tidy. Rubble and material lying on the site creates trip hazards. Bits of wood with nails and screws sticking out are a leading cause of injury.
  • Use the right tool for the job. Often injuries are caused when the wrong tool is used, or when a tool is used which is too small for the job.
  • Check all equipment every time before use to ensure that it hasn’t been damaged and that all the safety features are in place. Broken equipment should be fixed by the appropriate repairers. Don’t use faulty equipment.
  • Ensure that all work areas are barricaded. Regrettably serious injuries have been caused when children have been playing on construction sites.
  • Make sure that materials are stacked properly. Heavy objects leaning against a wall can easily be knocked over falling onto someone.
  • Check that materials that could be blown loose in a storm are secured at the end of the day or when severe weather is on its way. Stacked materials could be blown over and loose materials such as metal and tin sheets can be blown about, turning into dangerous missiles.
  • Take care not to damage electrical extension leads. All electrical cables should be checked and equipment with exposed wires, damaged electrical plugs and loose connections should not be used until the item has been properly repaired. Needless to say electrical equipment shouldn’t be used in the wet and electrical leads should not lie in water.
  • Never leave dangerous tools lying around where children could accidentally, or intentionally, turn them on causing injury.
  • Care must be taken when doing any demolition work.
    • No load bearing walls must be demolished (or have pieces cut from them) unless an engineer has inspected the wall and all permanent and temporary supports recommended by the engineer have been installed. Read Before removing walls or adding new windows and doors check your house will not fall down
    • Before cutting through any bracings in the walls or roof structures first obtain clearance from an engineer.
    • Care must be taken to ensure that the portions of the structure left standing are stable. Unfortunately, some demolitions are poorly planned so that the demolition work is only partly completed when the rest of the structure becomes unstable and collapses, often causing serious damage and injury. Read House collapses during renovations
​In the final part to this article we discuss some more tips on how you can avoid injuring yourself and others while renovating or building houses. Building and renovating your home safely - part 3

Learn more about renovating and building houses

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Paul Netscher has written 2 easy to read books 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volumes 1 and 2'. An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses Volume 1 deals with Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home.  and Designing your ideal home Volume 2 deals with Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home. 
​("Great for those that DIY. Very helpful in home renovations!" said a Reader on Amazon.com 5*****)
These books are available from Amazon and other online bookstores in paper and ebook.

© 2020 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.
12 Comments
Tez link
3/9/2021 06:36:18 am

You make a great point about making sure you have the right materials for the job. I need to get a contractor who can build a second bedroom for me. I'll have to hire a contractor who is highly recommended online.

Reply
Mia Evans link
23/10/2021 07:52:25 am

I like that you pointed out that every piece of equipment must be checked prior to using them to ensure that they are not damaged and they are safe to use. I will make sure to relay this information to the custom home builders that I will find near us now that I have enough money to finally have my own home built this year. If they can assure me that they will follow and they value safety, I will definitely hire their services.

Reply
Millie Hue link
16/11/2021 05:55:06 pm

Thanks for pointing out that the pieces of equipment should be checked before using them to find any damages if there are. I hope that I find builders that are following that kind of protocol to give me peace of mind that the house will be built safely. This has been my dream ever since I was a teen, so I am really looking forward for the project being a success.

Reply
Tex Hooper link
9/12/2021 07:49:26 am

I like what you said about wearing a hard hat. That makes sense considering you don't want stuff to fall on it. I'll have to hire a professional crew to tear down my kitchen.

Reply
Jeff Carbine link
6/1/2022 10:25:34 pm

I never knew that important safety considerations were when doing a home renovation and home construction project. I never thought that it would be like this, it is an intriguing article to read and I will also share this with my aunt. Thank you for the information about home construction.

Reply
John Carston link
29/1/2022 07:57:55 am

I'm glad that you said that using proper equipment and materials is important when building a home to prevent mistakes and for better production. I have a cousin who is intending to build his own custom home and has asked if I have any suggestions on the best way to design his home layout from the ground up. Thank you for teaching me how consulting a reputable residential general contractor can answer all of his questions and determine the best plan for his home.

Reply
Victoria Addington link
24/2/2022 09:01:57 pm

It captivated me the most when you wrote that you should not leave harmful tools in a place where children could reach. We are having a home renovation and it's a good reminder for me. I will make sure to inform the home builders I will be hiring about it as well so they can be extra careful.

Reply
builders Toowoomba link
5/5/2022 11:00:25 am

When you build a new home you don’t have to worry about whether the decor is going to fit your personal style because you get to choose the finishing touches.

Reply
Scarlett Ross link
12/7/2022 09:45:10 pm

It is also best to find builders that are supported by an army of developers, quality assurers, and designers.

Reply
sedona home builder link
25/8/2022 10:54:05 am

If you’re ready to customize your home, but are hesitant to take over every single detail of your place, then a semi-custom home will give you the best of both worlds in a streamlined process.

Reply
Eve Mitchell link
30/8/2022 01:13:55 am

It's good to know that you should never demolish load-bearing walls. My daughter is helping me renovate my kitchen, and we're trying to come up with a floor plan right now. We'll definitely need help from a demolition contractor before we start any of the work though.

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Iris Smith link
12/9/2022 08:04:40 pm

Thank you for reminding us never to expose live electrical cables. My father has made the decision to build a house and is considering who to hire to oversee the building. I would recommend that he hire a skilled home builder who will not only build the house but also ensure that the work area is clean, the electrical wires are covered, and everything is secure. 

Reply



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    Author

    I’m a construction professional, author of several successful construction management books, and a home owner. I’ve made mistakes in construction management, I’ve seen others make mistakes, but importantly I’ve had multiple successful construction projects and I’ve learned from the mistakes. I want to share these lessons and my knowledge with you.
    'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' are my latest books. packed with tips and information to ensure your home construction project is a success. Get your copy today from Amazon and other online stores.

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  • Construction Home
  • About Paul Netscher
  • +Construction Books
    • Successful Construction Project Management
    • Building a Successful Construction Company
    • Construction Claims
    • Construction Project Management: Tips and Insights
    • Construction Management: From Project Concept to Completion
    • An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses
    • The Successful Construction Supervisor and Foreman
    • Designing your ideal home
  • Construction Management Services
  • Book Reviews
  • Contact
  • Blog | Construction Management
  • Site Map
  • Blog | Home Improvement
  • Index of construction articles
  • Useful Links
  • Index Home Improvement