Plumbers are great people who assemble, install and repair pipes that convey water, gas, and drainages in houses whether commercial or residential. Every home will need a plumber at one point or the other, whether to fix pipe leaks or to unclog blocked or sluggishly flowing drainages. Due to the peculiarity of the job of plumbers, being daily exposed to some risky areas of the home and construction sites, they are often required to follow basic health and safety tips which can help them avoid getting themselves or people around them hurt while working.
The following are key precautionary measures for health and safety plumbing, whether you are practicing plumbing as a DIYer or as a professional who is doing plumbing on a more commercial basis.
You must have the necessary skill
You need to be skilled in order to do a job. Using a professional website to clean your drains makes sense as a professional plumber will be able to get the job for you effectively and efficiently. But if you do not have the money to hire a professional, you may want to do the job by yourself. It is the way you will understand what you are doing. Less is not expected from plumbers. As a plumber, you are expected to have basic skills in plumbing. You don’t really have to go to school or go learn from someone who knows physically these days, the internet is filled with educational materials from where you can learn. You can even get a degree in plumbing online if you so choose. You have YouTube videos to watch that take care of plumbing in depth.
So you have the world at your disposal to learn the basics. Get the skill before you get to work.
Understand the problem
Study and understand the problem before getting to work. You might need to study detailed drawings and specifications so that you can see practical difficulties. This way, you will know what tools you need and how best to go about doing the job without causing harm to yourself or anyone around you.
Check the scaffolding
Where necessary, as is the case when plumbing work is done externally and at a height of anything more than 2 meters, plumbers are expected to use proper scaffolding. The scaffolding should be inspected for stability before being climbed.
Get the necessary Tools
Make sure the proper tools needed are available before starting a job. You don’t want to get halfway and suddenly realize you need a wrench and you don’t have one handy. Also, when your tools are old and worn out, changing them as old and worn out tools require more manpower and this could lead to accidents.
Lighting and Ventilation are important
Proper lighting and ventilation should be in place when working in places that are dark and not properly ventilated such as ducts and narrow shafts.
Watch out for poisonous gases
Take precaution against poisonous gases which may be in manhole chambers when you have to work on sewer lines. When working on drains and pipes, understand the direction of flow – whether to you or away from you – before opening the pipes.
Gloves
Always wear protection on your hands. Wear work gloves to keep your hands safe as you will need them to be a plumber. Your hands will come in contact with many materials, both liquid and solid, which have the potential of harming your skin. In situations where you have to use drain machines of any sort, ensure that you wear latex gloves under the leather gloves to protect your hands from germs that are lurking around in drain lines
Face Mask
Protect your lungs with face masks where necessary. In situations where you have to saw or sand, dust will be generated which could enter into your lungs and cause you to choke. Even a disposable face mask can prevent you from getting exposed to those dust particles.
First Aid Box
You should have a first aid kit handy in case of accidents and emergencies. This is one of the key precautionary measures for health and safety plumbing you cannot ignore. You can never know when anything can go wrong, so be prepared even for the smallest of tasks.
One of the ways to show that you know your onions as a plumber is your attention to health and safety plumbing. It is not just about getting the job done, it is about getting the job done efficiently with no one hurt in the process of doing the job. So while you are planning the job, pay attention to every tool that is to be used and make sure every protective material is available before the work starts. If you are also working with others, ensure that everyone adheres to strict health and safety rules.
