Plumbing can be a bit dangerous if you don't take proper precautions while making any plumbing repairs. You should be aware of the basic safety precautions before taking up any plumbing project. Some of the basic safety measures include proper usage of tools and understanding of the plumbing installations. You should be knowing about what's in the pipes because if it's pressurized pipes, then you should take appropriate precautions before working with them.
Let us have a look at some of the Do’s and Don’ts that will turn out to be pretty useful for your safety during plumbing.
Do’s
A simple plumbing project can become a disaster scenario if you are not aware of what you are dealing with. The first and foremost thing is to be completely clear with the work that you have taken up in your hands.
Before you think about separating any portion of the drain or remove the cleanout, you should be sure that the drain is not going to come in your direction. Usually, you won't find drains under pressure, but if there is clogging, then it could build up significant pressure because of the weight of the clog and the effect of gravity.
There are several scenarios where a plumber has met with horrifying situations due to the pressure of the cleanout. The entire basement becomes a sewage site because of such incidents. For preventing such scenarios, it is essential for the plumbers to be completely aware of what they are getting into.
If you are working for fixing a place that involves water in any case, then you should shut off the supply of water just to be safe. Sometimes, it may look like a simple knob or cap to hold water, but there are chances of it holding pressurized water on the other hand. It shouldn't be like you have to search for the place to shut off the power supply once it goes booming on your end. This is the reason why this step should be taken at first.
Protect your eyes
This is the most important thing that every plumber needs to focus on. Whenever you are performing any plumbing task, you should wear safety glasses. To get your own customized one, you can get perfect prescription safety glasses. This would completely protect your eyes from any injuries during work. Whenever you are working under a sink, hammering, reciprocating a saw, using a drill, or even when snaking a drain, it could be a potential hazard for your eyes. Other than that, safety glasses also protect your eyes from any damage due to the possibility of contaminants from sewage and drains being splashed in your eyes.
Whenever you are using any power tools, it is necessary to use them cautiously and follow everything mentioned in the usage guide. While drilling holes in the pipes, it is essential to be extra cautious for avoiding any chance of injury. You need to work safely whenever performing soldering or using any other heat instrument on pipes while it's near any kind of insulation. Always use a heat shield for the prevention of your eyes and face from combustible materials during the use of a soldering torch.
Don’ts
Plumbing looks pretty simple, and it really is very less complicated. The most significant thing to follow here is that you should never rush things. Before you are out there cutting through the pipes or pulling out any fixtures, you need to think thoroughly through the entire project and make a perfect working plan before beginning.
The codes for plumbing have been put forward for your safety, and even the safety of everyone around you. This is the reason why one should never ignore them. For instance, it is a common code to never leave out a simple vacuum breaker in any water supply line because that could eventually lead to complete contamination of the water supply. Even the drinking water for the general public gets contaminated due to this reason. So, one should always abide by the codes.
Always ensure that you are using a particular tool only for the purpose that it has been made to be used. The misuse of any equipment will not only ruin the tool, but it even leads to a serious injury. Poorly maintained tools are a huge safety hazard for plumbers. A plumber should never forget to check the equipment before using it to prevent hazardous scenarios.
Final Thoughts
Plumbing is an easy job, but you should never take it lightly. There are plenty of things to keep in mind before you get into plumbing work. The safety of your body is necessary, and most important is the safety of your eyes. You can even go for Rx safety glasses to prevent your eyes from any injuries or serious damage while working. You can have a look at the CA Glasses website for getting a pair of the best safety glasses as per your requirement.
