Stick to carpet

Thousands of people are ending up in hospital after slipping on trendy wood floors says a new survey.

Latest figures show the DIY craze for the laminate boarding has seen accidents soar from 2,900 in 1998 to 12,300 in 2007. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said most of the mishaps were caused by walking about barefoot or in socks.

A spokesman advised homeowners to put down non-slip mats or wear shoes with extra grip and to avoid spilling liquid on the veneer planks as it cannot be absorbed.

The number of people hurt on micro-scooters has also shot up since the fad swept Britain two years ago, the RoSPA survey also showed.

Changing cooking habits led to a rise in microwave-related injuries from 1,800 to 2,700? half involving burns caused by hot liquids.

A total of 2.7million people were hurt in accidents in the home and 2.8million slipped up outdoors.

Children had the most accidents with more than 900,000 kids under five injured.

But a quarter fewer youngsters suffered suspected poisoning.

On the wackier side, 700 people were hurt by trouser zips and another 8,500 came a cropper on high-heeled and platform shoes.

Mind how you go now!

Costly DIY

A recent survey of 1500 men has revealed more than a third (37%) admitted they don't really like doing DIY and another third of all men feel under pressure from their partners to undertake DIY jobs.

This figure is corroborated by the fact that 31% of women expect their partners to carry out the necessary home improvement and 49% think DIY skills are desirable in a prospective partner.

Conversely, only 2% of men expect their partners to be able to accomplish DIY tasks.

The survey further suggests that, in order to impress their partners, many men take on too ambitious and even possibly dangerous projects such as electric wiring or major building or gas works.

A spokesperson for ROSPA said "TV home makeover shows make it all appear so simple, and it's easy to forget that these are highly skilled professionals."

"In reality trying to tackle certain areas you are not qualified for such as electrics or plumbing is dangerous and could even invalidate your home insurance policy, leaving you liable for any subsequent damage. We'd recommend using a reputable tradesman rather than going it alone."

ROSPA urges homeowners who do not have the necessary qualifications or experience to be cautious, because their home insurance might be invalidated if their home improvement work goes wrong.

Accidental damage of sinks, baths, ceramic hobs or glass in doors is included in most policies, but common DIY disasters like drilling into a water pipe or putting a foot through the ceiling might require additional cover.

Mind how you go now!

Ingenious or stupid you decide!

What were they thinking!


Things are done a little differently in the rest of the world, try this at work and see what health and safety have to say.

Mind how you go now!

The tools to watch out for.

It’s worth putting safety first when dabbling with DIY. Here are the implements to watch out for according to RoSPA (Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents) figures:

1. Knives and scalpels (21,300 accidents in the UK each year)

2. Saws (15,100)

3. Grinders (6,400)

4. Hammers (5,800)

5. Chisels (3,900)

6. Screwdrivers (3,400)

7. Power Drills (3,000)

8. Axes (2,200)

9. Planes (2,100)

10. Welding Equipment (2,000)

Mind how you go now!