Homeowners could be putting themselves in more danger as they increasingly tackle home repairs themselves. Using common household tools can be dangerous, especially when it comes to ladders. Accidents involving ladders landed nearly 200,000 people in the emergency room last year, according to a new analysis from Porch.com, a home repair and maintenance website.
Porch.com researchers analyzed data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System to determine which tools were responsible for the most emergency room visits. They found that hardware, such as nails, screws, and tacks, caused the second most injuries, accounting for 125,000 trips to the emergency room last year. Lawnmowers and power saws came in third and fourth, respectively, with a combined 170,000 injuries, the research showed.
Cleaning supplies can also pose some danger. Improperly mixing chemicals together sent more than 45,000 homeowners to the hospital last year with injuries, according to the analysis. “The risks of home improvement haven’t dimmed DIY enthusiasm, with millennials particularly eager to attempt their own upgrades,” according to the study. Millennials are the most likely to end up in the emergency room after a home repair attempt, according to the study.
Source: “The Most Dangerous Tools in America,” Porch.com (2019)
