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Home projects are prime real estate for introducing new hazards and can cause some serious incidents in the blink of an eye (some staggering statistics and resources from the National Safety Council HERE). Ensure you are treating your projects at home as you would any hazardous project at work by conducting a Pre-task Plan with all involved parties before you begin.

Here are some questions to get you going:

  • What are the critical steps required to get the job done?
  • For each step, what are the main hazards we may be exposed to?
  • How are we going to plan to prevent and/or reduce exposure to those hazards? (Stretching to warm up/cool down, taking breaks to prevent fatigue, having a spotter, inspecting tools and equipment before use, etc.)
  • How will we sequence the work to make sure we’re eliminating as much risk as possible? (Contact your local utility location service to mark buried cables and lines, get the proper tools and equipment in place before beginning, never work alone, let neighbors know the plan, remove potential obstacles/tripping hazards, check the weather for potential complications, etc.)
  • Remember to Stop and Replan if the conditions or job situation changes

The below Pre-Task Plan template can help plan your project.

Task:
Protection Gear Needed:

(Examples include safety glasses or goggles, gloves, ear plugs)

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