Building Safety Tips w/ Mike Holmes

What Inspired You to Use Safety Products?

My dad. He taught me why we do things right the first time, and safety was part of that-a big part. When I was young I would help my dad with jobs around the house. He would always tell me building safety tips that were essential such as; keep the job site clean, keep it organized. Always made sure I used my safety glasses, safety gloves etc. That’s all part of safety.

One day I was helping my dad gut a room. I was young, so I was just ripping things down. The floor got completely covered by garbage. My dad tells me I should stop and clean it up but I was almost done, so I told him I’d clean it up later. I needed to pull down the rest of the ceiling so I grabbed a chair – not smart – and I put it over some garbage. What I didn’t know was that it was covering a hole in the floor for the heat register. When I stood on the chair, one of the legs went through the hole and I hit the ground. The first thing my dad asked was if I was okay. The second thing was, “Does that teach you anything?” It did.

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What Are the Biggest Safety Mistakes a Homeowner Can Make When Tackling Projects?

Not hiring a pro. A lot of homeowners don’t have experience doing certain projects, so they don’t know what to expect. If you don’t know what to expect you won’t know what safety equipment you’ll need.

A person is a pro for a reason. They have the right skills. They have experience. They know what to expect from different jobs, different tools and different materials. Do you know if the materials you’re removing have asbestos? When you don’t bring in the right people, you risk your safety and your family’s safety, too. Look at gasoline-powered tools. You need proper ventilation if you’re going to use them. And opening a window or door isn’t going to cut it. No amount of CO is safe. People have suffered serious neurological damage because they didn’t know better.

You can also protect yourself with some products that I use in my home. The Eaton Surge Protector is designed to provide protection at the point of entrance to the home. Protection at this location can reduce surges entering the home and avoid destroying your appliances during a storm.

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When It Comes to Safety, What’s in Your Toolbox?

• Safety eyewear
• Work gloves
• Earmuffs & earplugs
• Respirator
• Hard hat
• Steel toe work boots
  
• Proper workwear made from durable
  material

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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What Kind of Projects Would Be Fine for a Homeowner to Tackle on Their Own?

Nothing that requires a permit, including HVAC, plumbing, electrical or changes to structure. If you don’t know what you’re doing you can even screw up paint. I always say hire a pro to avoid mistakes that can end up costing you more.

 

But even on small projects you need the right safety equipment, so make sure you have protective eyewear, gloves, respirators, and earmuffs or earplugs if you’re using loud tools. And remember to wear safety gear on the job site, even if you’re not doing the work-especially hard hats and steel toe boots. Avoid the risk of injury in your work environment. Don’t just use one safety tool but make sure you have all the tools needed to do the job correctly because you must protect yourself at all times.

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