Durham, CT - While home improvement injuries can be considered commonplace, the alarming number of deaths in recent years should worry homeowners and home improvement contractors alike. The number of casualties involved in projects like renovations, remodeling, and improvements proves that such undertakings should be cautiously approached.
The data highlights released by the National Electronic Injury Surveillance Systems (NEISS) show that the number of hospitalized and dead-on-arrival individuals continues to stay high. Some of the most noteworthy examples involved tools, materials, and equipment necessary to accomplish home improvement projects such as roofing, painting, and plumbing.
A great example of this alarming trend is the number of individuals engaged in fence accidents. In 2019, the number of people hospitalized or dead on arrival was 8,787. This number quickly rose to 9,737 people in two years. Installing a chain-link fence may be advantageous to homeowners and business owners. However, their hazards can cause severe injuries and are sometimes lethal. Some dangers of installing fences include potentially puncturing gas lines, lacerations, and gate fall hazards.
Another example is the people who were either brought to the hospital to be treated or arrived dead involved in heating and plumbing pipes. The Calendar Year 2019 shows that this product grouping claimed 1,768 casualties, but in 2021, the number dwindled to 1,115. While this decrease in death and hospitalization may be a cause for celebration, the fact that more than one thousand people had involvement in such an avoidable accident is horrifying.
Here’s one last example involving ladders. Ladders continue to be one of the most dangerous standard tools Americans have in their homes. Ladders are crucial in home improvement projects like exterior house painting. The number of ladder-related casualties in 2019 soared up to 40,686. It receded to 39,615 in 2021, with a reduced rate of only 2%.
Some of the most notable product groupings where a considerable number of casualties were involved are the following:
Home improvement projects can be dangerous if done incorrectly or without proper safety equipment. According to related research by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, lacerations are the most common home improvement injuries, with over 127,468 reports in 2020. Following this injury are fractures at 35,917 and contusions/abrasions at 34,806. This statistic shows that home improvement hazards for both homeowners and workers are natural and can cause serious injuries - or worse, death.
A person’s risk of being injured partly depends on the tool they’re using. While it’s true that home improvement projects can be risky, someone is still more likely to injure themselves using a power saw compared to painting a wall. According to the research above, the following are the most dangerous household tools that can potentially harm a person based on the total injuries treated in an emergency department.
- Workshop Manual Tools(107,285)
- Power Home Workshop Saws (83,141)
- Miscellaneous Workshop Equipment (42,586)
- Power Home Tools (29,323)
- Batteries (14,606)
- Hoists, Lifts, and Jacks (12,671)
- Wires, Cords (8,266)
- Welding, Soldering, Cutting Tools (8,144)
- Auto Tools (5,659)
- Battery Chargers/Adapters (3,156)
- Chains (2,848)
The best safety advice experts can recommend to individuals involved in home improvement projects is ensuring their insurance covers their injuries. Insurance is the best safety net if someone is injured in an accident. It can cover most of the costs a person would encounter when they, unfortunately, involve themselves in a home improvement accident.
“Home improvement projects like external house painting have always been risky, especially for homeowners trying to do it themselves,” Custom Colonial Painting Founder AJ Eames said, “Accidents are inevitable, but as professionals, we always make sure that we set up the proper safety protocols to ensure the protection of our workers and the homeowners. We believe safety should always be a top priority whenever you do home improvement projects and renovations.”
Sources
- NEISS Data Highlights - Calendar Year 2019
- NEISS Data Highlights - Calendar Year 2020
- NEISS Data Highlights - Calendar Year 2021
- The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission
