Do you love doing your own home improvement projects? Whether it is occasional repairs that you carry out or you are so hands-on that you take on projects from scratch, you need to prioritize your safety. You should ensure that you have all the safety equipment you need to carry out the project. The lack of these items may cause you to get injured. It is best to be prepared. Here is a look at the best home improvement safety equipment you should buy.
Safety Goggles
Your eyes are delicate organs that need to be protected every time you take on a project that could affect them. Whenever you are working on a project that could cause flyaway particles such as woodworking you need to wear goggles. Even when carrying out projects that will generate a lot of dust, your eyes will benefit from being covered in goggles. Also, when using toxic solvents like furniture polish and varnish, safety goggles will keep your eyes safe.
Safety goggles are big and cover the area around your eyes without leaving any space. With them on, your eyes are fully protected. You can even wear the goggles over your eyeglasses if you wear any.
When choosing the goggles to buy, try them on first. Ensure they fit you snugly and are comfortable to wear. They should not be too tight. Remember you could have them on for hours when working on long projects.
Earplugs or Earmuffs
Noise-induced hearing loss can occur due to prolonged exposure to loud noise. Do not just think of this as the noise in industries. Even the noise during home improvement projects can be loud enough to induce hearing loss. Tools like drills, jackhammers, mowers, and chainsaws are really loud with some producing sound above 90 decibels. You need to protect your ears as you use any of these tools. Wearing earplugs and earmuffs will protect your eardrums from any damage. Damage to the eardrum is gradual which means that the effects will only be felt as you grow older. Unfortunately, this damage is permanent and cannot be reversed. Prevention is the only cure.
When buying earmuffs or earplugs choose those that have a high noise reducing rating. This is the amount of noise the equipment will be able to reduce between what the machine produces and what gets to your eardrums. For people who would rather listen to music as they work, noise-canceling earphones are a great choice.
Work Gloves
Handiwork is so-called because it involves using the hands a lot. This is what most home improvement projects are. Your hands will be lifting heavy things, pulling and pushing things around among other activities. Work gloves will help keep the hands protected.
Heavy-duty work gloves will keep the hands safe from blisters, splinters, and cuts as you carry out your project. The gloves also make it easy to carry objects as they have more friction than bare hands. Not all projects will need you to wear work gloves. If you are doing something that could result in cuts, blisters, or another form of a hand injury, it is best to be protected.
When buying work gloves opt for those made using a thick and waterproof material. Buy a pair that offers you a good fit. Gloves that are too big will come off easily and will make it hard to hold on to items while those that are too small will be uncomfortable to work in.
Dust Mask
Some home improvement projects will cause dust to fly in the air. Whether you are taking on a wood project or want to repair your roof, you could be exposed to harmful materials in the air. These range from relatively harmless dirt particles to toxic substances like asbestos. It is best to wear a dust mask when working on a project that will result in the emission of dust.
When it comes to buying a dust mask you have two options. The first option is to buy disposable masks. These are cheap but can only be used once after which they need to be discarded. Buying a mask every day as you work on a project and future ones can be expensive. The better option is to opt for a reusable respirator mask. This is a mask that is capable of purifying air so one does not breathe in dirt particles. It can be washed, sterilized, and reused. When looking for a respirator mask for sale, look for one that is:
- Effective in purifying the air.
- Comfortable to wear.
- Light in weight.
- Long-lasting.
Bottom Line
Your safety during home improvement projects should not be left to chance. Buy the safety equipment mentioned above and you will be safe as you carry out subsequent projects you have planned.
