When you’re doing a DIY project, always keep safety at the front of your mind – that’s the message from the Manchester Evening News today after a Bury resident was taken to hospital with serious burns.
His wife was also injured in an explosion at his home, in the Radcliffe area of Greater Manchester, which is thought to have been caused when fumes from a tile sealer ignited:
DIY grandad hurt as blast wrecks house
…[The householder’s daughter] said her father knew the sealant was flammable and took precautions by opening windows to allow the fumes to escape. But because of the large amount of sealant used throughout the house, there were still fumes in the property. It is believed the blast was caused by an open flame – although neither of the couple smoke.
Tony Hunter, from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We believe the explosion was caused by the build-up of gases from the sealer within the house.
“The explosion was an accident and we are currently investigating the electrics within the house, including the fuse box and the cooker, to determine what caused the explosion. It is extremely rare for something like this to happen.” Read the full story here.
Even though this appears to be the kind of freak accident that is thankfully very rare, it goes to prove that the unexpected can and does happen, even if you are an experienced home improver.
So it’s still essential that you understand the safety implications of any DIY projects you undertake. This includes reading product labels and tool instruction booklets and following any advice given to the letter.
Here is some further reading on the subject:
- BBC Homes: DIY safety tips
- DirectGov: Doing work yourself
- RoSPA: DIY Safety
- HSE: Five steps to risk assessment (designed for use in the workplace but providing a useful insight into how to manage all kinds of risk)