The latest fitness craze to sweep Britain has its down side. A recent survey claims women exercising on the Nintendo Wii are causing millions of pounds worth of damage to their homes.
The bungling fitness fiends have contributed to an estimated annual living room repair bill of £19million.
Flower pots, television sets and even pets have been sent flying by the high kicks and hula hoop motions of increasingly vigorous home exercise routines.
Almost 20 per cent of women polled admitted having accidents after getting carried away in the living room with fitness routines such as those on the Nintendo Wii Fit.
Many of the 1000 women polled admitted they had caused an average of £7 worth of damage to their homes in the last year with over-enthusiastic work-outs.
Mind how you go now!
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Monday, 23 June 2008
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!
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!
Monday, 16 June 2008
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!
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!
Monday, 9 June 2008
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!
Monday, 2 June 2008
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!
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!
Tuesday, 27 May 2008
Trying to save money by DIY.
Recent research has shown DIY bodges cost people £850m a year in paying builders to sort them out.
Not only that, but some 70 people die each year from DIY disasters with a further 200,000 injured.
And despite that, a recent Federation of Master Builders survey reckons that 40% of people will still attempt all their building work themselves.
If you're one of the 40% - you've been warned.
Mind how you go now.
Not only that, but some 70 people die each year from DIY disasters with a further 200,000 injured.
And despite that, a recent Federation of Master Builders survey reckons that 40% of people will still attempt all their building work themselves.
If you're one of the 40% - you've been warned.
Mind how you go now.
Monday, 14 April 2008
Stick to the hammer and nails.
The perils of using a simple tool like a nail gun have been displayed recently as two victims will no doubt tell you when and if they recover. One DIY fan called Nigel from Leicester decided to nail the floorboards down in his bathroom with a DIY staple gun. Seems fair enough, you might say.
The problem arose when the clumsy clot lost his balance and fell over. As he explains 'I heard the gun go off. I felt a pain in my chest, so I went to take off my jumper, but I couldn't because it was nailed to my chest.' Ouch!
It was later revealed at hospital that the nail was an inch inside his heart, and a single millimeter away from the main artery. In the most shocking, and most stupid, aspect of the story, the man actually considered removing the nail with pliers before dialing 999. Certain death would have followed.
Best left to the professionals you might say or maybe not as a 17 year old working on a building site in Australia recently shot himself in the head with a nail gun.
Mind how you go now.
The problem arose when the clumsy clot lost his balance and fell over. As he explains 'I heard the gun go off. I felt a pain in my chest, so I went to take off my jumper, but I couldn't because it was nailed to my chest.' Ouch!
It was later revealed at hospital that the nail was an inch inside his heart, and a single millimeter away from the main artery. In the most shocking, and most stupid, aspect of the story, the man actually considered removing the nail with pliers before dialing 999. Certain death would have followed.
Best left to the professionals you might say or maybe not as a 17 year old working on a building site in Australia recently shot himself in the head with a nail gun.
Mind how you go now.
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