LIFESTYLE – DIY mishaps and how to avoid them *

According to a top A&E doctor quoted in the Guardian, the home is a minefield for accidents, that eventually end up at the Accidents & Emergencies department of UK hospitals. One of the problems is when homeowners try to save a few pounds (which is fair enough), but do so without proper planning and taking all the necessary precautions.

This reminds me of an episode that happened recently in our home: my housemate and I headed to IKEA to get shelves for our respective rooms. We were so happy as this would help sort out all the junk we both have in our rooms. Living in London a lot of times involve living in a houseshare and we have to keep all our belongings in our own rooms… which can be a tough exercise in organisational skills, especially if on top of clothes and shoes (of which I have a few) one also has a pile of books and art materials. So, we bought our shelves and even got ourselves a little drill and a box of screws, planning on doing a bit of DIY over the next few days. All was set and intentions were great but we didn’t manage to finish the job. Why? We didn’t think it through properly – the drill head included with the IKEA drill was too thin for the girth of screws the shelves required. Not only that, when I tried drilling (I know how to use power tools), after a few centimetres, the drill was hitting stone. The little drill was no match for the stone walls… We ended up abandoning the project and asking the handyman to come in and do the job… Fortunately, no one got hurt, and for now, we have a few holes drilled in the wall, which I am sure is something the landlord will not appreciate. Next time, better planning will be necessary.

So, we bought our shelves and even got ourselves a little drill and a box of screws, planning on doing a bit of DIY over the next few days. All was set and intentions were great but we didn’t manage to finish the job. Why? We didn’t think it through properly – the drill head included with the IKEA drill was too thin for the girth of screws the shelves required. Not only that, when I tried drilling (I know how to use power tools), after a few centimetres, the drill was hitting stone. The little drill was no match for the stone walls… We ended up abandoning the project and asking the handyman to come in and do the job… Fortunately, no one got hurt, and for now, we have a few holes drilled in the wall, which I am sure is something the landlord will not appreciate. Next time, better planning will be necessary.

Another very common situation is problems with asbestos – particularly in lofts. Asbestos is used as insulation in many homes and too frequently, homeowners forget that it is poisonous. I remember in one of the houses I lived in, how bits of asbestos would fall out of the trap door in the ceiling, every time we moved stuff in the loft upstairs. Definitely not an ideal situation! Asbestos is a problem even for construction professionals, who can have serious health problems in unsafe work environments, ending up seeking mesothelioma compensation from their employers. I believe this is probably one of those jobs that should be better left to the pros, to avoid asbestos-related illnesses.

These are only two episodes that happened to me in recent years. Unfortunately, there can be many other potential activities that can cause serious injury. For more details on this, check out the infography after the jump.

PS: How do you like my illustration? I am enjoying reworking magazine pages a bit too much!

*This post has been done in collaboration with Slater Gordon Lawyers.