Eye protection costs a couple bucks. Damage to eyes via flying stuff (wood chips, rocks, metal, etc...) - a lifetime of eye problems.
The finer the dust when sanding anything, the more important to have some kind of filter on your breathing.

 

Get a new tool or piece of equipment? RTFM first.

 

Hard way...
... wear hearing protection.
... wear eye protection.

Since I have a very healthy respect for a table saw.... use push sticks.

Stable jacks and jack stands when working on a vehicle.

Just a start....Don.

 

1. Never touch a power tool after having even just 1 beer.
2. Quit when you get tired.
3. Always think about what might go wrong, especially the first time you tackle a job.

2 and 3 were learned the hard way.

 

3. Always think about what might go wrong, especially the first time you tackle a job.

I def did this before using a table saw the first time. Read the book a few times, watch some videos and read stuff online. Unless you're asleep or have no brain, you will see how the thing could be dangerous. Using it safely is priority one, and I want to know the pitfalls to avoid. Don't want to get cut, or kicked. My hands are not as good as they used to be, but I still want to keep them, and undamaged.

 

Try to understand where all of your energy sources are and are you prepared to deal with them.

IE. Did you turn off that ceiling light circuit at the wall switch where your spouse might come along and flick it back on out of habit or was it at the breaker?

Do you know where the water shutoff is? Is it accessible? Might be good to know before nailing/screwing into a wall.

Will that furnace vent or piping burn you if you touch it?

Is that wall supporting something important before you tear into it?

Wear safety shoes with sole puncture protection if your working with nails and screws on any project larger than just furniture. (where you may drop nails and screws on the ground and lose them)

Keep good house keeping in larger projects

Wear safety glasses and gloves

Know how to safely use your power tools. Watch a bunch of YouTube videos first if you've never used it before.

And most importantly if you're in doubt, ask for help, including this forum.

 

Count your fingers before and after using a table saw. You'll know ahead of time, though. Push sticks/plates and feather boards are mandatory for safe use.

 

Turn off breaker before attempting to work on anything electrical.
Ladders are the number one cause of DIY injury. Always be as safe as possible when using a ladder.
Never attempt any job that you have any safety concerns about. Get help.

 

1) Eye protection. Was swinging a 3/4 ax last weekend and took a wood chip right to the eye, which was protected.
2) watch more than 1 video of trying to learn that way… many are wrong or more work than needed
3) listen to the amazing people with 20,000 or more posts on this forum. Your advice is amazing!

 

Only three?
Make sure your ladder feet are level and secure.
Always wear eye and hearing protection, and (if applicable) knee pads.
Wear a respirator when dealing with atomized particles of any kind (spray paint / clear coats / stains, etc) or dust when cutting or sanding wood. It’s the accumulated effect that’ll get you.

 

Be aware of the surrounding area for about 5-6' before going up a ladder, just in case you have to jump off or you fall off. Pay particular attention to metal conduits for gas/electric coming up that could do some major damage if you were to fall on them.

 

Don't walk under ladders !

AND (this is a real thing that happened) DONT WORK on a ladder near a roll-up garage door without putting up a sign!!!

We had contractors in and for some reason one guy was up a ladder in my garage, but his ladder was right next to the garage door tracks. I didn't know but I heard somone calling me or something (I forget now) so I opened the door, its a hard sticky door, so you need some welly all of a sudden I heard a

"NOOOOOOOO" then a thud and this geezer is on the floor when the door swings up, I apologized but he was ok

 

1> always use a condom
2> always have a CAA card
3> Always make sure there's an escape route

 

1> Make sure your workspace is tidy and clear:
The amount of times, I've put parts on the floor near were I am working and then step back and stand on them OR loose my balance and fall, and falling onto drills, saws, bricks etc is bad for your health, also well lit

2>Dress correctly:
I loose track on the amount of youtube tik-tok videos of mechanics wearing flip-flops, they all seem to be Indian or Eastern European, you dont need safety shoes, but wear some God damn shoes, moron's. Keep loose clothing out of the way, dress so your skin can breath and dress so oil dont go over you brand new Ralph Loren t-shirt

3> Pi$$ Poor Planning Promotes Pi$$ Poor Performance
Plan your job, buy all the tools you need and then some, ask advise, watch youtube videos, have a written plan or a manual handy, if outside make sure you get a weather forcase.

 

When working on electrics, switch of the breaker and practice LOTA

 

OH one more thing....

When doing ANY work in your house, car, GET friccking permission, in advance, preferably in writing from your missus.

dont ask... its a thing in my house, yeah its health a safety, you end up with a migrain from all thye yelling

 

Best advice for people new to using power tools is to try them out on scrap material first.

Have a good first aid kit available and in a pinch duct tape works wonders.

 

1. Always put a note on the breaker panel if you turn it off to remind others that you are working on it so others won't turn it on while you're touching wire that is now live.
2. Always wear a respirator mask when working with lots of dust, cutting drywall, tiles, concrete, etc., even if outdoors. Simply not worth the risk for the minor inconvenience.
3. Saws are no joke... One bad move and you're losing a finger. The saw should have enough power to cut through almost any object that it was designed for without much pressure.

I think for the most part, electrical stuff is where you have to watch out for the most. Most other stuff is common sense... just wear the proper safety equipment. But electrical stuff is where you see people just do all sorts of random stuff and then just close up the walls or ceiling and you'll never know what might happen if you're reckless.