It’s the Easter weekend, the sun is shining, and we’re all cooped up indoors with nothing to do.
Now feels like the perfect time to tackle a DIY project, whether it’s upcycling a rickety old table or finally turning that Ikea trolley into a bar cart.
But before you go hard with the hammer, please be cautious.
The NHS has urged people to take extra care over the Easter weekend when tackling home improvement tasks so they don’t put added pressure on the NHS amid the coronavirus pandemic.
NHS England said there’s normally a rise in hospital admissions for DIY-related injuries during the bank holiday weekend – and that’s the last thing we need when doctors and nurses are already overwhelmed trying to tackle Covid-19 and save lives.
George Clarke, who hosts Amazing Spaces, has teamed up with NHS England to beg people to take care.
He said: ‘It’s fantastic that so many of us are keeping ourselves busy with DIY activities at home over the Easter weekend, which has always been the busiest DIY weekend of the year.
‘But please, please, please be careful.
‘The NHS is under massive pressure at the moment tackling Covid-19, so take extra care when doing any DIY work at home to avoid accidents.’
Make sure you don’t tackle any projects that are above your experience level, follow instructions closely when using power tools, and take your time rather than putting your safety at risk by cutting corners.
Be cautious with ladders – last year there were nearly 7,000 hospital injuries caused by people falling from ladders.
Andrew Bennett, NHS national clinical director for musculoskeletal conditions, said: ‘The public have rightly responded to the expert advice on staying at home to save lives during the coronavirus pandemic, and it’s good to keep active and busy while you do.
‘But we also know that, particularly when the weather gets warmer, activities such as DIY or gardening can result in injuries.
‘As doctors, nurses and allied health professionals deal with the greatest global health threat in a century, it’s particularly important to avoid unnecessary trips to hospital right now, which is why you should always take your time, follow instructions, and check the space around you.’
The most stressful DIY tasks, according to a recent survey:
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