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Safety My own business specializes in the finishing interior end of things. Nailers, hammers, saws, even utility knives can be dangerous. The first and foremost rule-of-thumb in any home-improvement project is to be ALERT. Pay attention, consistently, even when assessing materials needed for the job. I mean, you're supposed to enjoy it anyway, right? So get into the project you've decided to undertake and focus on each task, especially each time you pick up a tool. GOGGLES, GLOVES, MASKS, AND RESPIRATORS (and dust masks) Personally I never thought goggles were geeky and can't understand why some people say that about them. Any time there is even the slightest chance something could fly and hit you in the eye, you oughta don ‘em. Like when you pick up a hammer or turn on any kind of saw (including a tile saw). Gloves are really more for your comfort and not quite a "necessity", although tell that to anyone who's gotten a nasty-big splinter from carrying or moving a piece of plywood, or sanding some item of wood that was just cut. In painting we usually use latex gloves. They are disposable and necessary for oil-based work, because once you've finished painting and cleaning off your brush you can take 'em off and toss 'em. This enables you to avoid having to clean the paint off your fingers, nails, and hands with the paint thinner solvent which is pretty caustic for your skin. Even when I do latex (water) based paints I tend to use the latex gloves, just because it saves me time cleaning off my hands later. Whether it's with water or paint thinner, I like to save time. Back to the oil-based paints: a one-time application may not necessitate a respirator. We've been doing this stuff for so many years that multiple exposure to the VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds... the little harmful molecules released from solvent paints while they dry) makes it mandatory for us to protect our lungs. So we always don our respirator. And because we paint so much, we want to make sure that the cartridges on the respirator mask are doing their job (they, like most things, have a shelf life). We each keep our own in a separate Zip-lock bag labeled with the name of whomever it is and also with the date of the most recent cartridge replacement. Kept sealed like this a pair of cartridges should keep on working well for 4-6 weeks. FIRST AID KIT I think that we are pretty careful. Nevertheless I've got a nicely stocked First Aid Kit that accompanies us on every job, and I make sure it's stocked; in other words, I replace any item right away that get's used. Gauze, antiseptic wipes, bandages (of all sizes), an instant cold pack, cloth tape, first-aid cream, tweezers, aspirin or Tylenol, and a first-aid guide: these are all items that should comprise a minimum kit. I guess everyone is different and clumsy in their own way. But over the past fifteen years I'm aware that the vast majority of times I've needed our first-aid kit is when wallpapering. RAZOR BLADES... they seem innocent enough, and you go through a lot when installation a paper or border in a room. Though my cuts have been relatively minor, bleeding (even slightly) is a nuisance and doesn't mix well with fine wallcoverings, and so any scrape must be bandaged right away in order to continue working. SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION The dictionary describes it as the following: the breaking into flame of combustible material, such as oily rags or hay, due to heat generated within the material by slow oxidation. I honestly thought it was a fantastic happening that existed only in the realm of chemists and the supernatural. I mean, I had only heard of it in terms of paranormal phenomena with human beings. Back in 1984 when I started refinishing wood floors for a living I saw a news show on TV about spontaneous combustion. It completely set me straight! It had footage of time-lapse photography showing temperature readouts in various set-up situations: a pile of floor scrapings (floor sawdust with varethane finish) and a bunch of oily rags. They were left alone with little ventilation (a typical situation in a closed home). You could actually see the temperature rising in these as a short amount of time elapsed, and then they ignited... on their own! And of course, since the materials were flammable anyway, once the fire began it spread quickly. Yes, it happens, and it can occur very easily. When I was writing my first book on wood floor refinishing I talked a lot with a flooring contractor in San Francisco. Her name was Teryl and she was intelligent and there was a lot of integrity in her work. She told me of a story that happened a few years earlier. Her crew was warned to always dispose of the wood shavings immediately after each job's sanding. They were working on this one particular job and had bagged up the dust and brought it outside and left it on the sidewalk, to be hauled onto their truck later that day. Well, the bag got left behind and the Client called Teryl that night (it was in the middle of the night, actually). The fire truck was out front at that moment putting out a fire that had started from this bag! Teryl told me it had just been sitting there! Luckily it was left on the sidewalk, far enough away from any other flamable things (imagine if it had mistakenly been left on the front porch). It's the linseed oil in the rags as well as the polyurethane coating that had been sanded off the floor. This component is found in stains, polyurethane, varnish, and some oil-based paints. There are precautions you must take when working with this component (linseed oil). Immediately after finishing work, the materials (brush, gloves, rags) should be placed in an air-tight container with a little bit of water at the bottom. Various municipalities have different laws as to disposal of these hazardous wastes. WHAT ABOUT ASBESTOS? WILL YOU EVER COME ACROSS IT? WHERE CAN IT BE FOUND? This tiny microscopic particle, when manipulated and manufactured into strands, turned out to be a noncombustible, nonconducting, and chemically resistant material. You can well imagine the implications of these properties in construction. The wonder component! Actually up until 1972 practically all building materials had asbestos in them... drywall, siding, concrete; even paint. At the beginning of the 70s the health implication became known... namely, that once airborne, these particles could be inhaled and would lodge deep inside the lungs, clogging the cilia and bronchial branches. After extensive testing it was found that this stuff stayed in your lungs and could actually shorten your life... In 1972 it was officially banned and stopped being added to building materials. There are still many lawsuits pending regarding asbestos. If you're attempting any home improvement project, either inside or outside your home, and you suspect asbestos it's best to call a professional and have it tested. Even with masks and gloves, it becomes hazardous when disturbed.