Home Safety for Homeowners & DIYers
Millions of people are hurt at home every year: falls from ladders, power tool cuts, fires, poisonings and carbon monoxide. The good news: the same habits that protect workers on a jobsite work at home.
- Homeowners
- Renters
- DIY
Photo: homeowner on a properly set-up ladder cleaning gutters, wearing safety glasses and gloves
The biggest home hazards
- Falls: from ladders, roofs, stairs and slippery floors. Falls are the leading cause of injury death for older adults. See Preventing Falls at Home.
- Fire and smoke: cooking, heating and electrical fires. See Preventing Home Fires.
- Carbon monoxide: from generators, furnaces, cars in garages and gas appliances. See Smoke & CO Alarms.
- Poisoning: household chemicals and medicines. See Household Chemicals.
- Tools and yard equipment: saws, mowers and chainsaws.
- Drowning: pools, tubs and buckets for young children.
Bring jobsite habits home
- Plan the job first and think about what could go wrong (a mini job hazard analysis).
- Wear safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection and a dust mask for DIY work.
- Turn off power at the breaker before electrical work, and check it’s off.
- Call 811 before you dig, even for a fence post or a tree.
- Don’t work alone on risky jobs like roofs and tree work.
- Know when to hire a licensed professional.
Be ready for emergencies
Every household should have working smoke and CO alarms, a fire escape plan, an emergency kit, and a family emergency plan. Start with Building an Emergency Kit and Family Emergency Plan.
Standards & references
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