Many homeowners who are strapped for cash are turning to DIY to cut costs. DIY projects are a way to significantly cut prices on costly renovation and remodeling projects. However, the advent of video tutorials and the plethora of new shows centered on home improvement have had negative effects as well, most notably on the number of people visiting ER’s around the country for DIY related injuries.
DIY Injuries on the Rise across the Board
According to the president of the ACEP, Nick Jouriles, there has been a sudden spike in DIY related injuries recently and this can all be attributed to homeowners trying to save a few bucks by doing works they aren’t qualified for. He also blames the struggling economy as part of the reason why so many homeowners decide to take that route.
In a recent survey conducted by Angie’s List, a site where members can hire contractors for minor jobs, the overwhelming majority of respondents, 83% to be exact, said they would rather do a project themselves than hire someone. However, what is not accounted for is that costs usually become higher when they have to hire a contractor because they ended up injuring themselves doing a project they shouldn’t have been doing in the first place.
A Global Trend
The trend is not limited to the US only. In Australia, where the DIY trend is also very popular, DIY related injuries are also on the rise. This can be mainly attributed to the slew of new “reality home renovation” shows that have been gaining in popularity in the country. According to a recent report, hospital admission rates for unintentional injuries have almost doubled in the last ten years. And the main culprit is DIY shows and the DIY craze that has recently hit the country.
Lack of Protective Personal Equipment
But one of the most striking things about the recent DIY trend is that a large number of DIYers forgo protective personal equipment completely when conducting works on their property. Since they are not private contractors, they do not have to abide by the same set of rules and therefore decide to omit to wear PPE altogether, either by negligence or in an effort to cut costs even further.
So many common injuries could be avoided by using fall protection safety harnesses for construction, roofing, & more. According to a survey conducted on National DIY safety, 60% of Australians admitted that they used no protective personal equipment whatsoever when conducting DIY works. In the same study, one out of three reported that they suffered an injury while doing basic DIY projects.
What can be Done?
Novice and even advanced DIYers have to be more safety conscious on projects. That includes putting more emphasis on protective gear, but also applying some basic safety procedures as well. DIYers should also be careful not to bite off more than they can chew and go for professionals whenever they feel a certain project is out of their field of expertise.
