So you wanted a hands-on experience for your house painting project? You probably figured out that performing a house painting job in your revamping project is harmless. Let me tell you that it is the worst idea I have ever heard!
Well, there are many potential risks if you overlook the safety guidelines. Serious accidents such as falls, toxic exposures in skin or eyes, toxic inhalation, and other related mishaps can happen. But of course, you can finish your DIY-house painting job successfully by applying safety measures to your residential painting works.
1. Avoiding falls
Fall accidents usually happen in most commercial and residential painting works. Using ladders helps you to reach higher parts of the wall, but unstable or loose platforms might bring you a terrible fall. It is important to check the screws and other supporting elements before you climb up on the ladders. Make sure you’re stable all the time.
2. Storing and handling paints
Read the manufacturer’s instructions on the paint labels when it comes to storage. Avoid storing them in a place with extreme temperature, as high temperature can trigger the ignition of a fire. Put them in a safe place where your children and pets are not able to reach them. Additionally, keep them sealed to prevent spillage.
3. Minimizing paint fume impacts
There are chemicals inside paint that are released into the air as one paints, these are called volatile organic compounds or VOCs. Oil-based paints can irritate your eyes, nose, or throat. Short-term side effects from inhaling VOCs can include:
- irritation of the eyes, nose, or throat
- headache
- feeling dizzy or light-headed
- nausea
- trouble breathing
On the other hand, exposure to high concentrations of VOCs for extended periods can cause long-term damage to certain systems of the body, including the nervous system, liver, and kidneys.
The good thing however is that water-based paints generally give off lower levels of chemical vapors and VOCs. Opting for paints with low VOC can be a safer choice.
Another no-cost safety tip is to keep the doors and windows open for proper air ventilation while doing the painting project. When painting in small spaces that are not well ventilated, it is recommended to use personal protective equipment that comes with respirators.
4. Keeping your eyes protected
Our eyes are highly vulnerable in any kind of house painting task. Even though chemicals in paints are less likely to cause permanent blindness, infections and irritations may happen. Always wear safety eye goggles, facemask, or glasses to protect your eyes from paint droplets. Just in case your eyes get paint, wash your eyes thoroughly with clean water.
5. Protecting your skin
Painting is considered to be a high-risk occupation for skin disorders. In the painting profession, epoxy resin is the most frequent cause of contact dermatitis.
Say you’re only doing your house painting as a one-time project, the risks for skin problems to you may not be as much to painters who do painting jobs regularly. Nonetheless, using personal protective equipment can minimize risks all the same. Anyone handling painting jobs should wear some form of PPE, to protect them from the potentially harmful effects of paint. PPE suits cover the entire body and include hoods, boots, and gloves. They provide a barrier between painters and the mists and vapors that come from many types of paint. These will likely prevent you from serious accidents.
House beautification projects need not cause you health and safety problems. Keenly take note of these safety measures to protect your health and prevent serious accidents before starting your house painting project. Or you could just hire somebody else to do the dirty work.
Looking for professional house painters?
Achieve your dream wall color with our expert house painters. With extensive experience in the industry, we have accomplished different residential painting works around the Greater Toronto Area. We assure high-quality and satisfying results. Let’s talk, us at 705-279-2557. Alternatively, you can shot us an email at mitchell@changeofcolour.com or complete this form for a free estimate.
