A Shock to the System
Electrical shocks aren’t the most common form of home accident, says Taylor. But they can be among the most harmful. “Even mild electrical shocks can result in serious internal injuries,” adds Dr. Alton Thygerson of Brigham Young University and the National Safety Council’s First-Aid Institute. “Even standard household current of 110 volts can be deadly.”
The most basic way to avoid getting an unwanted shock to your system is to make it a cardinal rule not to mess with the wiring in your house unless you’re a trained professional, Taylor says. “Be especially careful when you’re drilling,” he adds. “You don’t want to be drilling around places where there could be electrical wires present, like outlets. When in doubt, always call an electrician. Your life is more important than the ego boost of doing it yourself.”
If you do receive a shock, seek medical attention immediately, Dr. Thygerson says. “The burns on the skin that result from an electrical shock often are small and don’t look like much, but electricity travels along your nerves and blood vessels before exiting your body. And even relatively minor shocks can cause internal damage.”
Yardwork Woes
Your home doesn’t end when you walk out the door. If you’re like most homeowners, you likely have a patch of green-or more often stubbornly brown-that you call home for cookouts and lazy Sunday lounges. If you thought the inside of your house was an accident zone, check out what awaits in the backyard. The following are common yard-improvement tools, along with the number of handymen they send to the emergency room each year.
Nails, screws, and tacks or bolts: 191,037
Ladders: 151,327
Fences and fence posts: 114,055
Pruners, trimmers, and edgers: 36,204
Chain saws: 35,132
Gasoline and other fuels: 18,924
Pliers, wire cutters, and wrenches: 14,543
Just like accidents that happen inside the house, accidents that happen in the yard are often the result of cutting corners or being overly confident,” Taylor says. The following tips can help.
Cover up. “We tell people that if they’re going to be working around the old house, take their cue from Bob Vila or Norm Abram,” says Taylor. “They always wear gloves and safety goggles and take the little precautions that can keep you out of big trouble.” It’s especially important to take these safety precautions when handling power equipment, like mowers and pruners.
Take your time. Whatever you do, don’t rush yourself on a domestic-repair or improvement job. Haste can waste you. “The worst thing you can do,” Taylor says, “is not allow yourself enough time to do the job properly. Many accidents occur when you try to do too much in too little time.” If you really don’t have time to do the job right, get somebody else to do it-like a professional-or don’t do it at all.
*107/36/5*
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