2.5.9
How do I stay safe on a job?
In short Cut the power and water before you start, check the wall before drilling, and use glasses, gloves and a stable ladder. Don't touch gas without qualifications.
Before you start, isolate whatever you’ll be working on and check that it really is off.
Power, water, gas
- Power: switch off the right circuit breaker and check with a tester that there’s no voltage. The labels on the board are often out of date.
- Water: turn off the valve and release the pressure by opening a tap. If the valve has seized or is leaking, don’t force it.
- Gas: only a person with the required qualifications works on a gas installation. Smell gas? Don’t switch on lights or tools, open the windows, get out and call 112.
Before drilling
Run a cable and pipe detector over the wall. Avoid the strip above and below sockets and switches, where cables usually run. Ask the client whether they know where the installations go.
Yourself
- Glasses for drilling and cutting, a mask for dust, gloves for sharp edges.
- A stable ladder, fully opened. Don’t stand on the client’s chairs.
- Carry heavy things with two people or on a trolley.
- In an old building, don’t cut or break up boards that may contain asbestos. Find out what the material is first.
If you see on site that the work is dangerous or needs qualifications you don’t have, tell the client and don’t start.
