When it comes to remodeling, we all know how challenging it can be, not to mention overwhelming. Regardless of how big or small the project is, it can take a significant amount of effort and time.
There’s also the possibility of injury if you don’t maintain proper safety measures. Whether you’re thinking about taking on the remodeling yourself or hiring professionals, the first thing you have to be aware of is safety. Safety for you and your workers.
And that’s where we step in—with 14 steps you can take to ensure workers’ safety while remodeling your home. Let’s dive right into it!
Table of Contents
Securing the Structure of Your Home is Key
If you’re remodeling an old house, it’s best to take a look and see if the structure is in good condition or not. In fact, there are several factors that may cause a problem.
For example, a heavy flood can definitely cause foundational damage. In that case, we’d suggest seeking help from a professional. They’ll inspect the structure and give you their best advice on how to fix the problem.
Whenever you’re looking for signs of instability with your home’s structure, start with your basement. Mold, mildew, and fissures on the wall are heavy indicators of water intrusion. This could be a sign that there’s wood rotting above somewhere.
Your workers can use a ladder to check above; however, it’s important to note their safety while they are on it. Here’s a personal fall restraint system that might come in handy for your remodeling!
Get to Know Your Home Inside and Out
Every home has a floor plan, and so does yours. Once you take a look at it, you’ll easily figure out where the gas lines, water lines, electrical lines, etc. are. It’s crucial to know the locations of these lines in order for you to plan the remodeling without expensive mistakes. Specifically, when it’s about demolition.
Get to know your home inside and out, and we can guarantee you that it’ll be worth your while, as well as your workers!
Clean, Organized, and Protected
Over the course of your remodeling project, it’s important to note that keeping the work site clean and organized is a number one priority. You also have to make sure every worker you’ve hired for the job is wearing the proper protective gear.
Keep the tools in a designated area and all labeled and stored safely. For protective clothing, you can invest in durable gloves, belts, pants, strong hats, and steel-toed boots. Make sure you don’t forget safety goggles as they can protect the eyes from dust and any flying debris.
Keeping things organized and clean will help to keep the project going smoothly. And wearing protective gear is beneficial for everyone involved.
Designate Alternate Routes
If only a certain part of your home will go through remodeling, you’ll have to figure out how you and the workers can properly access it without causing any issues. That means designating a number of routes around your home.
For instance, having them use an alternate entrance for heavy traffic movements and making sure there are exits accessible from all spaces of your home can be seen as not only a smart move but also beneficial for your workers and everyone’s safety.
Functional Safety Devices
Before you start your remodeling or any kind of renovation project, check and see if all the safety devices, like monoxide and smoke detectors, are functioning properly.
Take a look at your fire extinguishers too as you never know when you’ll need one. Keep a minimum of two working fire extinguishers and make sure they’re large enough to handle a fire.
In case of heavy-duty demolitions, you might have to cut through concrete. You can make the area safe by using white plastic sheets to isolate the space as much as possible. This will protect the rest of your house from silica exposure and dust, as well as carbon monoxide from the gasoline-powered tools your workers might be using.
Proper Ventilation Is a Must!
Often, a home remodel may include drywall and concrete to be demolished, and depending on the scale, this can quickly become bad for your indoor environment.
Keeping this in mind, you have to prioritize having proper ventilation in the areas you’ll remodel. To do this, you can invest in industrial fans and position them around the space and keep the windows open. Doing this will blow out all the airborne particles present in your home.
Remember to check if the workers are wearing their protective gear when they’re working on the remodeling which also allows them to breathe safely. A respirator or a dust mask can be of immense help in keeping your workers safe, and yourself as well.
Be Wary of Electrical Safety
This is by far the most important step you can take to make sure your workers are safe. Keep an eye on the electrical safety measures so that you can help prevent electric fires, explosions, and shock.
When you’re remodeling, there’s a chance for wires to be exposed in different areas of your home. Your workers are at risk of getting electrocuted, trapped in a fire, or worse—being caught in an explosion. These scary things can happen because of excessive heat or overflowing current.
Other than these, there are other common hazards workers are prone to face during a remodel, such as:
- Wires being exposed to flammable materials
- Workers being exposed to live wires
- Circuits getting overloaded
- Improper grounding
Doing an inspection of all your cords, plugs, and wires before you start the remodeling is a smart move.
Watch Out for Black Mold
A demolition can stir up huge amounts of mold, which can put your family and workers at risk for serious respiratory issues. Specifically, black mold can easily trigger symptoms such as eye and skin irritation, wheezing, and a stuffy nose.
The easiest way to figure out if you do have black mold is by looking for black specks, mostly present behind areas that are exposed to a ton of moisture such as under the floors. In order to tackle this mold, you’ll have to wash your remodeling site with a bleach solution.
And in the case of extensive growth, it’s probably wise to hire the services of a professional who can efficiently remove the mold.
Flooring Concerns
Whenever you’re working on remodeling the floors or making way for a replacement, it’s vital you seal off the work site so that your family can’t access it, including your pets!
Make sure to remove any debris as quickly as you can and store your tools in a safe place after they’re used. And if you’re using power tools to sand wooden floors, clear the site first and wear proper protective gear.
Here are some of the usual hazards one might face when remodeling their home:
- Broken or cracked tiles
- Facing obstacles like flooring materials or tools
- Loose or uneven surfaces
An excellent way you can prevent injuries for your workers is by ensuring that you don’t have uneven flooring. In order to avoid this, first, secure any loose parts of the floor while replacing and removing the uneven parts. For carpet installations, do it well and secure loose spots into place.
Safety First!
No matter how perfectly you prepare for your remodeling, there’s always a chance for accidents and emergencies that can occur. That’s precisely why you should have a first aid kit prepared, just in case.
Before you start your project, check and see that your safety box has the necessary supplies needed and keep it stored somewhere that’s accessible to your workers. It’s also smart to keep a phone close by, in case there are serious incidents that require medical assistance as well.
Conclusion
Every home remodeling has its share of risks and problems, particularly if it is an extensive project involving several rooms. So in conclusion we’d like to say that we hope the steps we’ve mentioned here help push you to stay on top of your remodeling and the safety of your workers and your family as well.
Let us know if you have your own way of ensuring safety for your workers or just share your stories in the comments down below!
