Home Care

Maintenance & Repair | Storage & Organization | Health

- By Donna Bierbach

Keep your hand out of the cutting path, cut away from your body, and proceed slowly and deliberately. Remember that a sharp blade is safer than a dull one.

FIRST AID FOR DIYers

DIY work is full of ways to hurt yourself—and we'd like to help you avoid every single one of those injuries. A smart habit to develop is to ask yourself this question before you begin any repair or project: What's the worst thing that can happen? And then prepare to avoid it. Here are a few basic rules to keep you safe:

• Put on eye protection before you start up any power tools and when you're working with caustic chemicals.
• Keep your table saw blade guard in place.
• Make sure your thumb is out of the way of your utility knife when you cut that sheet of drywall (left). And when working with metal, wear cut-resistant gloves.
• Use a push stick, not your hand, to direct your workpiece through the table saw blade.
• Set up your ladder properly and doublecheck its stability before you climb it.
• To prevent damage to your hearing over the long term, always use ear protection when you operate power tools.
• Use a voltage tester to make sure there's no power to the outlet you're working on.
• Wear a good pair of work boots on sites where you're at risk for stepping on nails or dropping heavy items.
• Get power cords out of your path to prevent tripping.