Hot answers tagged safety
20
The wearing of gloves can be a terrible idea when using many power tools. In fact, it can be quite dangerous for the reasons you describe, although kevlar gloves might be a good idea when you are around a chainsaw. They might even be a good idea if you are working with sharp chisels. Even so, I would suggest that it makes far more sense to begin using good, ...
19
Electricity is a funny thing and different applications apply for various situations.
THis is UK/EU/US/Asia/Africa.. its all the same.
If you are running a low voltage cable 0-48Volts DC/AC
then you can use a pvc outdoor joiner (the screw caps have a rubber seal on them to prevent moisture from entering)
If you are running high voltage (110AC/240AC)
...
16
Given the choice, I'd put the ladder 2-3' to the side of the downspout. That should allow you to safely reach the downspout and a majority of the problem area without getting off the ladder. Using a stabilizer bar so that you aren't resting on the gutter helps:
This also minimizes wear and tear on the shingles. If you do need to walk on the roof, stay ...
16
There is a product called Window Security Film which is a thin (a couple mm) film that adheres to the window and makes it exceptionally difficult for someone to break. Many lock smiths/security companies can install it. Here's a video of it in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYdVK3BqPfk
16
No. There is nothing you can, or should do to fix this.
Don't touch it, don't go near it, don't even look at it anymore. Get off the roof, and call the local power company or an Electrician.
Service entrance cables do not have overcurrent protection and will shock you until the transformer blows, the wire burns and breaks, or contact with the line has ...
15
Get a heavy stand
Growing up, my dad had a traditional stand that looks something like this:
That works for smaller trees as long as you can be sure that nobody (such as a child or pet) will disturb it. That's not at all a given. Remember that trees have extensive root systems that keep them grounded during windy periods and so it's important to get a ...
14
From the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) of Klean-Strip® Boiled Linseed Oil.
Flammable Properties and Hazard
RISK OF FIRE FROM SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION EXISTS WITH THIS PRODUCT.
Oily rags, waste, and other oily materials can cause spontaneous
combustion fires if not handled properly. Immediately after use, and
before disposal or storage, you ...
13
This is one of the biggest problem with power strips (surge protectors)...
Overload!
The average person does not think about how much power each device is drawing, or how much the system can handle, they just see an open outlet and plug stuff in. If they can't find an open outlet... Oh yeah! they make adapters for that! I mean they sell the adapters, so ...
13
Considering the low cost of these devices and how deadly CO can be, why wouldn't you want one? That's like saying you don't want a smoke detector because you don't think anything will catch on fire.
Just because you don't have any of the items @Steve Jackson mentioned doesn't mean you can't be impacted by CO. For example, maybe a delivery truck is parked ...
11
If you have to join two extension cords together (for a longer reach), make sure the cables are both the appropriate gauge to handle the extra length. To prevent the ends from coming partially or fully disconnected (which can be annoying, and a possible shock/fire hazard), tie a simple knot to hold the cables together.
Keep in mind that connecting too ...
11
from OSHA Guide for Protecting Workers from Woodworking Hazards
Hand and Arm Protection
Your workers' hands and arms will need protection from burns, bruises, abrasions, cuts, and exposure to the chemicals used in finishing.
Protective gloves are the primary means available for direct hand protection. Extra-long gauntlets or sleeves attached to the gloves ...
10
Check if the wall is load-bearing
See that link for how to do this.
Try to see if there are are any high-voltage lines in the wall
Look for light switches, receptacles, lights, hard-wired smoke detector
In some cases, a wire may run though the wall, but not be visible. This is very hard to determine, and takes sleuth work (look for wires entering the ...
10
AFCI's detect patterns of current that usually indicate some sort of electrical problem. Unlike a GFCI which is making sure that current going out = current coming back, AFCI's try to look for electrical usage that would not trip a GFCI but might be something causing an electrical fire. Most code now requires them for bedroom circuits.
The one major ...
9
A few concerns:
The range hood will need to be placed above the window, possibly blocking some of your view, unless you install a downdraft vent frequently seen in cooking islands.
If you have a messy cook in the house, cleaning the grease off of the window panes and crevices will be all the more difficult on a window. And curtains or blinds are even ...
9
Aim for a stud or well away from the stud. If a line goes through a stud, there should be a metal safety plate on the stud that will keep you from going any further.
Lines that go up and down the wall will frequently be attached to the stud with staples (any electrical line running vertically will be attached) so you want to avoid just missing the stud to ...
9
I'm pretty sure bullet proof glass is not a viable option. A quick Google search came up with a 40" wide window for over $3k. I couldn't find anything nearly the size you mentioned, and I'm guessing the cost for increasing scale is not linear - you're talking at least tens of thousands of dollars here. My guess is that the glass would end up costing just ...
9
If you don't have a:
Gas or Oil Furnace
Gas Refrigerator
Gas Clothes Dryer
Gas Range
Gas Water Heater
Gas or Oil Space Heater
Fireplace
Charcoal Grill
Wood-burning Stove
Attached Garage (fumes from automobiles and gas-powered lawn mowers)
Attached dwelling (fumes from a neighbor with one of these devices)
...then I would say you don't need a carbon ...
9
Well, it seems totally safe to me, it's not going to fall on you unprovoked. You won't be able to drive a truck into it, but you can sit under it. You can't land an aircraft on it, but it should be able to handle the rain and snow. It's not really load bearing, and it looks beautiful.
However, if you're afraid, grab a Kreg joint kit and screw them together ...
8
The standard is usually 34" to 38". Check your local building codes - apparently some cities specify exactly 36".
The International Residential Code covers just about everything you could want to know about stair standards.
8
Anecdotal I guess, but I've had a fire extinguisher out in my barn for years now and it's never been a problem. Being in Michigan, it regularly gets below 0F. Granted, I've never actually tried to use it, but I think the freezing point of the chemicals in there is way below zero.
ETA:
Looking at this page it seems like the operating temp of a typical ...
8
When it first trips, you should first eliminate any causes for it to trip before resetting it.
A standard circuit breaker (not a GFCI or AFCI) will trip because too many amps are pulled. If this is powering outlets, then unplug everything on the circuit. If it still trips, then either you didn't notice the fork stuck in one of your outlets (I had an ...
8
We have used DE effectively to kill bedbugs, so I'll take a shot
how should it be applied?
We applied it around the borders of all the floors, sprayed it into the walls everywhere we could (mainly into electrical boxes - remove the covers first), and into the underside of plush furniture. In the basement we put it all over the ceiling and walls as ...
8
If you are going in-wall over 16 feet, you need an active extender as many have pointed out. One alternative to this is to use a Cat5 extender: this allows you to run Cat5e/6 in-wall (riser or plenum cable is rated for in-wall use), then convert to USB at both ends as needed. One I found at Monoprice is rated for 150ft.
8
The best thing to do is not work on or around any thing energized. DO NOT work on anything energized with gloves that are not designed for that purpose.
If you want to learn about electrical protection then go to this website.
For the short answer you need two or three gloves to handle energized circuits. All have to be rated for the voltage you are ...
7
I use a circuit finder, like this:
It requires a little finesse, but not too much.
http://www.amazon.com/GB-Electrical-CS550A-Circuit-Breaker/dp/B001DT6NC6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1289622691&sr=8-2
7
When we first bought our current home, I made a careful map of every light switch, every outlet. I simply shut off each breaker in turn, then went around with a test plug. Any outlet or switch that was now dead, I marked on my hand-drawn map of each room in the house, noting the number of the breaker it ran through. This map is frequently handy. Whenever I ...
7
Most alarms are plugged into a transformer, which is plugged into the wall. Easiest way is to find that, and disconnect it.
If there is no transformer, and it is hard-wired directly to mains power, then you have a couple options:
If it's on its own circuit, turn off the breaker (or disconnect fuse)
Turn off the breaker to it. Open the panel, and ...
7
Search for a switch lockout or a switch guard. Either will solve your problem, but the lockout is easier to open and change the setting, the guard is more permanent.
A third option is any of the child proof switches.
7
The following should be sufficient to determine that it's safe to work inside a switch box.
With the breaker(s) for this box turned on, touch the NCVT to the wallplate or insert it into the "hot" (narrower) blade socket of the electrical outlet you'll be working with. The NCVT should indicate live wiring. This is primarily a test of the tester itself; it ...
7
You shouldn't be able to damage a concrete floor by jumping up and down on it.
There will be sound transmission (as you've noticed) and there might be some movement in the floor if it's not properly tied into the walls. This would be more likely with a wooden floor supported by joists as there is more natural movement in wood than concrete.
If there is ...
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