Every year, numerous Manitobans get injured on the job site and, in most cases, it's a preventable injury.
There are also many cases of Manitobans injuring themselves working on a DIY home project. Again, most of these are preventable.
As for the projects that we all do at home, often it's nothing more than thinking ahead and using a little common sense. How many people cut their lawn with a powerful mower with a razor-sharp blade in bare feet? When sanding a cupboard surface for repainting, how many people wear safety goggles? After all, the old paint and wood particles are flying about freely.
It's definitely the season for Christmas lights. In every neighbourhood, we see lights dangling from the eavestroughs and tall trees.
In most cases, we grabbed the ladder out of the garage and moved it along the width of the house attaching the lights on hooks with one or both hands.
However, how secure was the ladder that we were on? Was it on solid ground or the rock garden in the front of the house? Did you encircle the tree with the ladder or did you try to save some time by holding on to the ladder with one hand while reaching over the tree with the other?
We are not experts on construction safety nor do we have all of the proper tools and equipment at our disposal at home. However, the consequences of an accident -- the impact on our health and our families -- are no less critical at home.
Take a minute, think the job through and utilize whatever safety precautions that you have at your disposal. It may add a couple of minutes to the job but it may save you much more.
Professionals are not immune to preventable accidents either. This group knows better but still is occasionally guilty of not utilizing the safety mechanisms that are available to them to help minimize the chance of a serious accident.
Fall protection has been publicized tremendously over the past year. On the residential construction front, fall protection is emphasized more than any other safety concern.
Have a safe and productive holiday season.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
