The Best Safety Tips for Handymen

1. ALWAYS WEAR SAFETY EQUIPMENT

It seems simple, but you should always wear safety equipment whenever you’re working. Never forget the importance of wearing proper work gloves, boots, and safety glasses.

Stepping out there without protection could lead to a severe injury. That injury could be enough to put you out of work for months and make your livelihood impossible.

2. WEAR THE RIGHT CLOTHES

One thing that every handyman should remember is that many power tools have small blades with high-tension settings. This makes it easy to get caught in the blade.

Therefore, make sure you wear proper-fitting clothes and tie back long hair when using a screwdriver or saw tool.

3. DON’T USE DRUGS OR ALCOHOL

Using any drugs or alcohol would obviously be one of the biggest mistakes a handyman can make. It can easily lead to injury if anything goes wrong and on top of that, it could also result in much higher liability issues.

Know when to say no to beer. You're going to be much less likely to run into a problem if you stay sober and clean when working with your power tools.

4. INSPECT WORK AREA, TOOLS, AND EQUIPMENT

Inspect the area. Both before and after doing your job, ensure everything is as it should be to prevent accidents from happening.

Make sure that all of your work surfaces are clutter-free, your tools are in good condition and sharp, and all of your equipment looks appropriate for working on it.

5. DISCONNECT POWER

When using power tools, whether it's an electric drill or saw, turn them off before moving to the next piece of equipment - this is usually achieved through the use of a breaker switch.

If you're changing blades on a saw, particularly with aggressive blades, disconnect your power from the unit and set safety precautions.

6. USE ONE EXTENSION CORD

Make sure all your tools are plugged into one heavy-duty extension cord. This way, when you have to use multiple tools at the same time, you'll be forced to unplug and plug the power before cycling through each tool.

7. ALWAYS USE SHARP BLADES AND BITS

A dull blade requires more effort to cut through a material. This can lead the handyman to work harder and use too much force which could cause injury and/or help create an accident.

To avoid these risks, it is always important to use fresh blades at every job. In addition, a sharper cutting tool will produce a cleaner cut.

8. BE SURE TO STAND IN THE CORRECT POSITION

Handymen often need to use cutting blades when working. It can make the job easier, but it can also be very dangerous. When using a power tool, it's important to ensure that the blade or router bit cuts against the motion of the wood.

9. TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS

Taking regular breaks from the day’s activities is a great way to avoid repetitive stress injuries. The hand is constantly in motion and is prone to immediate stress when using power tools.

Taking two, five-minute breaks at set intervals will reduce the chance of muscle strain or injuries due to repetitive movements.

10. STAY FOCUSED

One of the best safety tips for handymen is to stay focused on the work. Avoid distractions by not bringing your phone or iPad with you.

If you do have a mobile phone, leave it at home so that you're not tempted to ignore work just to check text messages or news updates.