October 23, 2019

Keeping up with chores at home can seem like a never-ending job: mowing the lawn, weed whacking, pruning shrubs, staining the deck, raking leaves and snow blowing (it’s coming). Before tackling these tasks, make sure you’re wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

Seeing is believing – Many people think most eye injuries occur on the job, according to a survey by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and American Society of Ocular Trauma. However, nearly half of eye injuries take place at home. Every household should have at least one pair of protective eye wear approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Put your best foot forward – Weekend warriors should wear good-fitting, leather shoes with adequate tread for yardwork and home improvement projects – and save the flip flops for the pool.

Listen to this – Shop vacs, leaf blowers and other power tools can cause permanent and significant hearing loss. Take these steps to protect your ears:

• Use hearing protection
• Take breaks from the noise
• Reduce equipment noise by replacing worn, loose or unbalanced machine parts
• Use quieter products whenever possible

Turn down the volume when using headphones to listen to music during chores. Loud music can contribute to hearing loss.