Today’s post comes from guest author Kristina Brown Thompson from The Jernigan Law Firm in North Carolina.
What kinds of tools do you have at home that you could use some training for or may not actually know how to use but use anyway?
The United States definitely has a do-it-yourself culture. There’s even an acronym for it: DIY. However, just because a person can do it themselves doesn’t mean it’s a good or safe idea. Sometimes it’s easier and safer to hire someone who’s trained for a home-improvement or maintenance project. After all, it’s their job to complete a project safely.
If you do choose to do-it-yourself, take your safety focus and training home with you. As is mentioned in the article below, make sure you have the equipment, skills and training to do the job safely and correctly.
When my husband and I purchased our home, we immediately bought a forty-foot ladder because obviously we would be cleaning our own gutters and needed the biggest ladder possible to reach the roof. Our first attempt to use the ladder was miserable. We could barely lift the ladder. After a few pathetic attempts to use the ladder, we realized this was a stupid idea and outsourced the job to professionals. Looking back now, it was crazy to even consider using the ladder given the sloped terrain of our yard and given the height of the home.
According to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, ladder accidents are on the rise in the United States. From 1990 to 2005, reported ladder accidents increased fifty percent (50%). That’s over two million people, or 136,000 people a year, treated for injuries sustained while on a ladder. Despite the risk of using a ladder, it seems that many still do not follow common safety precautions. The four main problems are: (1) selecting the wrong type of ladder, (2) using old or damaged ladders, (3) incorrect use of ladders, and (4) incorrect placement of ladders.
In my situation, we were likely using the wrong ladder, incorrectly, and certainly did not have it correctly placed. We’re lucky we didn’t end up in the ER. Ladders need to be treated like any dangerous tool. OSHA recommends significant training before allowing employees to use ladders. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, fifty percent (50%) of all ladder-related accidents were due to individuals carrying items as they climbed. To avoid a potentially life-changing injury, encourage your friends and family to practice ladder safety. Avoid using a ladder alone, and always make sure you are using the correct ladder and have it set up properly.