RoSPA Press Office : Press Release
March 27, 2002
PLAN TO STAY OUT OF HOSPITAL THIS EASTER
DIY mania is set to sweep Britain again this weekend as thousands of ill-prepared householders begin repairing their homes after the ravages of winter.
But as Easter signals the start of the home improvement season, it also heralds a steep increase in the number of people attending hospital as a result of DIY jobs that have gone wrong.
About 70 people are killed and another 200,000 hurt in DIY accidents each year, with April the peak month for injuries.
David Jenkins, Product Safety Adviser for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: “The big problem is lack of planning. People seem to rush into DIY often without the necessary skills or the right tools and materials to do the job properly.
“Just as important is correctly estimating if they have enough time. Many accidents happen when people are tired or when they are rushing to finish a particular job. Things are not always as easy as they may appear on television makeover programmes.”
The Government is launching a new TV public information film on Friday showing the dangers of DIY room makeovers if safety warnings are ignored. New safety leaflets are also being distributed at DIY stores and hire shops, including Robert Dyas, Homebase, Somerfield and HSS Service Group.
Wearing protective equipment such as gloves, goggles and masks could prevent many injuries. People hiring tools should ask for a demonstration and enquire about what safety measures are needed. Reading and following the instructions is also vital.
Most of the deaths and many of the more serious injuries will involve falls from ladders - often when people over-reach instead of moving the ladder. Ladders need to be on a firm surface and placed at an angle that ensures stability.
Knives and saws remain the most common tools involved in accidents, but power tools have the potential to inflict the most serious injuries. Always use a residual current device (RCD) when operating power tools as this will cut off the power supply quickly if something goes wrong and greatly reduce the risk of electrocution.
