DIY And All The Safety Equipment You Need

I have been a painter and decorator for over 20 years and the one most important thing I have learnt over that time is that accidents can happen. As we all know accidents will happen without warning and there is never any pre-warning. That is why over the years I have always made sure that I am safe as I possibly can be. This could apply to the equipment or the clothing and shoes I use to do my job as a painter and decorator.

So here are few examples of how I make sure I’m safe doing my job as a painter and decorator. I have many things to think about when it comes to safety because I never know from week to week what type of job I will be doing. I could one week be 30 foot up a ladder painting outside or the next decorating a lounge that has very high ceilings.

1. Ladders

It’s very important that if you are using ladders of whatever type, which could be anything from a stepladder to a 3 extension ladder for outside work to make sure they first of all are made to the correct standards. So when buying whatever type of ladder make sure you buy them from a reputable company who adhere to CE standards.

It’s also very important that you check your ladders on a regular basis to make sure no damage has occurred.

When I’m working outside, and I could painting a high part of a house, I always use feet to stabilise the ladder and I will also tie the ladder off to a secure point which will minimise any possible problems or accidents.

2. Safety clothing and shoes

Over the years I have learnt to do many other jobs other than painting and decorating. Many of these jobs involve the use of power tools and heavy items such as patio slabs or fencing. This means that I need to make sure I’m safe when possibly using an electric circular power saw or lifting heavy items. Some items that are always on hand for these types of jobs are eye goggles to protect my eyes should any fragments fly off during sawing, and ear defenders to protect my ears especially when using a circular saw otherwise constant use could have a detrimental effect on my hearing.

A very important piece of personal equipment you should always wear when actually doing any type of DIY job is the correct footwear. Additionally, make sure you have the best insoles for working on concrete as well. If you are, for example, laying a patio, the patio slabs are very heavy and if one of them slips then the chances are it is very likely to end up landing on your feet and the damage that could do to your feet could be very traumatic with many bones being broken.

I have tried a number of work boots over the years and some have been ok and others, well to be entirely honest, not very good. So while browsing on the internet looking for some new work books I came across Blundstone. They make safety boots that are durable, rugged and very lightweight, and they have high performance qualities. This means they will give all day comfort along with protection for some of the toughest jobs that I take on. They also look fantastic and are very stylish. All of their safety boots conform to EU standards and have CE and CES3 certification.

3. Power tools

A power tool in the hands of somebody who is inexperienced when it comes to DIY can be a very dangerous tool. So if you are just starting out on your DIY journey here are some tips for using power tools.

I have learnt over the years that you get what you pay for so when you’re looking to buy a power tool buy quality and a recognised brand as that way you know it conforms to all the necessary standards for the safe use of a power tool.

When you have finished using your power tool for a particular job, something I have always done is to clean it and put it away back in the box so that next time you use it, you know it will be safe to use. Although I will say before every use check it to make sure electrical wires etc are all sound.

So there are a few examples of how I stay safe when doing my job as a painter/ decorator and handy person.

What safety equipment or clothes do you use when doing DIY? I would love to hear in the comments below.