Macho men blind to the dangers of DIY
| Published: 23rd January 2008 17:08 |
Most men aren't frightened of a bit of DIY building, decorating or plumbing, but perhaps they ought to be. Acting blind to the dangers of DIY could result in you being painfully poked in the eye or even permanently blinded.
Every year around 30,000 people are admitted to hospital with a serious eye injury sustained while carrying out home improvement projects and hundreds of thousands more suffer superficial eye injuries, warns national sight charity, the Eyecare Trust.
"Many of these accidents, which can lead to the loss of an eye, blindness or permanently reduced vision, could easily be prevented simply by making sure you have the right skills and tools for the job," explains Iain Anderson, chairman of the Eyecare Trust.
"Men, in particular, are guilty of letting macho pride get in the way of calling in the experts. If you're in any doubt at all about whether you have the skills, tools, materials and the time to do a job, then you should always call in the professionals."
British Standard (BSEN 166) safety eyewear is an essential part of every good DIYer's toolbox. Budding handymen and women should always ensure they wear eye safety goggles when chiselling, grinding, hammering, drilling or sanding and a British standard (BS1542) facemask when attempting any welding task. Other DIY jobs posing a significant danger to your eyes include sawing, painting or striping ceilings.
If you wear prescription lenses or glasses, you must wear safety eyewear with side shields over your lenses glasses. If you are a regular handyman or woman, you can buy prescription goggles from your optometrist.
Accidents often occur when goggles are lifted to get a closer look, so always make sure you keep your safety eyewear on throughout the job and take a break if you have to alter them.
Before you start, make sure that your first aid box is easily accessible and well equipped, including eye wash or saline solution, an eye bath, gauze pads, bandages and an eye patch.
If a foreign object enters your eye, never rub it. Lift your upper eyelid outward and gently pull in down over the lower lash. This causes tears to flow and will often wash the object out of your eye. You may have to repeat this several times. If the object doesn't wash out, contact your optometrist immediately or head to hospital.
Always seek medical help if a particle has embedded in the eye. You could easily cause more damage by trying to remove it yourself.
For chemicals splashed in your eyes, flush your eyes with saline solution and seek medical attention immediately.
Abrasions will need hospital treatment with drops, ointments and a sterile pad over the eye.
Don't try to treat a cut, laceration or penetrating eye injury, go directly to your optometrist or a nearby hospital.
A blow to your face resulting in a black eye can be treated with a cold compress at home, but seek medical advice if you have any signs of a head injury, such as blurred vision or headache.
Remember, prevention is always better than cure. Log on to Eyecare Trust's website for more advice about DIY eye safety (www.eyecare-trust.org.uk).
Picture caption: Wear safety goggles whenever you take up the tools.
COPYRIGHT: "This material is the copyright of Free Features Ltd and must not be used for any purpose other than intended - ie for publication with the associated sponsor's material. It cannot be sold or used for any commercial purpose outside the terms and conditions that form the contract of registration to this site."
