Work Safe, Home Safe

With such a focus on workplace safety, it may surprise you to learn that, on average, one-third of all accidental injuries occur in the home rather than at work.

At Cape Cod, we pride ourselves on our commitment to creating safe work places and doing all that we can to ensure everyone who comes to work for us can work safely, and return home safely.

However, given that the ABS data shows we are more likely to be injured whilst going about our domestic and leisure activities rather than working for an income, we thought we would put together some tips to help you stay safe when doing home improvement work yourself.

Firstly, know your limitations when it comes to home renovations and DIY!

We suggest you approach working on your home with the same care and principles you would use at work:

• Make a plan. Properly planning the work you are to do will go a long way towards keeping you safe
• Make sure you have the right equipment and assistance you will need
• Ensure you have all the relevant information about the substances and materials you are using
• Take particular care when using ladders and working at elevated levels – falls are the number one cause of injury in Australia.

If you are hiring someone to work on your home, be sure to protect yourself, your family, and the integrity of your property by hiring a licensed professional.

NSW Fair Trading licensing system ensures you will enjoy better consumer protection, are dealing with a legitimate business, and that the tradesperson has the right qualifications to do safe and high quality work on your home.

Any of the below must be carried out by a tradesperson who holds the appropriate license, regardless of the cost of the work:

• Electrical wiring
• Plumbing, draining and gasfitting work
• Air conditioning and refrigeration work (except plug-in appliances).
• Any residential building work over $5,000 in labour and materials.
  Of course, Cape Cod holds a current builder license and only engages suitably qualified and/or licensed contractors.

We hope that helps you when you’re next thinking about home renovations. Stay safe, everyone!