02 Sep 6 Tips for Conducting Safe Home Renovations
Renovating your home can mean many things: you can just redo the paintwork on the outside, install new windows, renovate the interior or build a whole new storey. Whatever it is, it is vital that you understand the most important thing about doing any construction work – the safety of everyone involved. No construction goal is too big to be above the lives and health of the workers on the project. Simply, there is more value to a human life and well-being than to a new storey of your home.
The best part about safety when doing construction is that there are simple rules which, if followed, can ensure that the whole ordeal is completed with no damages to anyone’s health. Here are some tips that everyone should adhere to when working on home-made construction.
Obtain all the necessary permits
Before you even start the construction and are still in the planning phase., take some time and think about what construction permits you will need to obtain for the work that you have had in mind. In some countries, you would be required to get a permit even if you decided to just re-paint the walls. Getting all the permits will ensure that you have approached all the issues that might arise and that you have thought about them. If you are unsure whether you need a permit for the planned work, you can get better informed here.
Have the required personal protective equipment
Whatever the work that you might be doing, it is very obvious that it cannot be done dressed in shirts and jeans. Construction is hard work which carries a lot of health hazards (both visible and invisible) with it. Having personal protective equipment (like hard hats, safety vests, protective gloves, earmuffs, glasses, etc) will ensure that even if something does go wrong, the injuries are kept at a minimum. Also, this equipment will protect the workers against possible chronic injuries that might occur, such as asthma from too much dirt entering the lungs and similar cases.
Ventilation is important
Doing renovation work on the inside can be a cause of many potential lasting effects to the health of the workers, like the above mentioned asthma. This happens because inside work usually requires a lot of drilling which, in turn, fills the air with dust, dirt and other unwanted particles. In order to control the amount and prevent the build-up of “unfriendly” particles in the air, the inside workspace must be ventilated often. If you are uninformed about the potential health hazards from dust, you can see more information here. In addition to ventilation, an air conditioning and heating system is also a necessity. During winter and summer, temperatures reach their extremes. Taking a vacation in order to escape the unpleasant climate is only a temporary solution whereas a good HVAC system is a permanent answer to this problem.
Eco-friendliness
Choosing eco-friendly substances for house renovation will help you not only take better care of the planet, but also reduce the health hazards for the workers. Whatever is good for the planet must be good for our own bodies. So, using paints, cleaners and thinners that are “green” will help improve the health of everyone involved. If you keep using the solvents, the risk of the workers getting poisoned greatly increases.
Find a place for messy work
Should there be any work done on the house which will produce a lot of waste and mess, it would be best if that work was moved to a more convenient position, like a patio or the backyard. This way, the toxic elements in the dirt and any other mess that occurs will not influence the workers inside the house. Also, be sure to provide a mat for everyone to wipe their feet before entering.
Hire professionals for help, if needed
Some of the work that has to be done during renovating can be outside the scope of an ordinary person’s abilities. There is a reason why professional construction workers exist and you should not hesitate to call upon professional help when required. Do not think that you will save money by not calling them. Instead, see it as an investment into a better built home with fewer injuries.
Performing safe construction work is the most important thing about building and renovating. It is of little use if a building is constructed with injuries and casualties with workers. Every contractor that is hired should have a quality management plan and organize the work around it. For God’s sake, we are not living in the Ancient Ages anymore.
