Lesson 2: PPE, Ladders and Asbestos Awareness

Why This Lesson Comes Before Any Job

Most DIY injuries come from three things: something getting into your eyes, lungs or ears, a fall from height, and dust you didn't know was harmful. This lesson covers all three. Do these checks before every job in the rest of this course.

Task 1: Choose the Right PPE for the Job

PPE (personal protective equipment) is your last line of defence. It only works if it suits the hazard and you actually wear it.

Step 1: Name the hazards in the job. Ask four questions:

1. Could anything fly or splash into my eyes? (drilling, chiselling, scraping a ceiling, using cleaning chemicals)
2. Will it be loud? (hammer drill, angle grinder, sander)
3. Could I cut, crush or irritate my hands? (sharp edges, sealant, filler, solvents)
4. Will it make fine dust? (sanding filler or wood, drilling or cutting brick, block, concrete or plaster)

Step 2: Match the protection to each hazard.

• Eyes: safety glasses for general drilling and hammering. Use wrap-around goggles for overhead work, splashes and heavy dust, because dust and liquids can get round the sides of glasses.
• Hearing: foam earplugs or ear defenders for power tools. A good rule is that if you have to raise your voice to be heard by someone an arm's length away, wear hearing protection.
• Hands: cut-resistant work gloves for handling sharp materials. Use disposable nitrile gloves for sealants, fillers and chemicals. Do not wear loose gloves near a spinning drill bit, because the bit can catch them and pull your hand in.
• Dust: a disposable respirator marked EN 149 with an FFP rating. Choose FFP3 for high-dust work such as cutting or drilling brick, concrete and stone, which gives off silica dust, or for heavy sanding of wood. A loose paper "nuisance" mask is not proper protection.

Step 3: Check the fit. A mask only protects you if it seals against your face. Press the nose clip to shape, then breathe in sharply. The mask should pull in slightly with no air leaking round the edges. Stubble stops a mask from sealing.

Example: You are sanding filled holes in a hallway wall with an electric sander. You need goggles, an FFP3 mask and ear protection. Gloves are optional.

Task 2: Inspect a Ladder Before You Use It

HSE guidance says to do a quick pre-use check at the start of the day and again after anything changes, for example if the ladder is dropped or moved from a dirty area to a clean one.

1. Stiles (the long side rails): make sure they aren't bent, split or damaged. A damaged stile can buckle.
2. Feet: make sure none are missing, worn or damaged, because the ladder could slip. Wipe off mud and paint.
3. Rungs or treads: check that none are bent, missing or loose, and that they are clean and dry.
4. Locking devices (stepladders): the locking bars or platform must lock fully open.

If any check fails, do not use the ladder. Label it as faulty and repair or replace it.

Task 3: Use a Stepladder Safely

1. Set it on firm, level, dry ground. Don't stand it on a rug, on loose items or on a slope.
2. Open it fully and engage the locks.
3. Face the steps when climbing, and keep your body centred between the stiles.
4. Stay off the top steps. Don't work from the top two steps (top three on a swing-back or double-sided stepladder) unless there is a safe handhold.
5. Don't overreach. If you have to stretch, climb down and move the stepladder.
6. Keep it short. HSE guidance limits use in one position to about 30 minutes of light work.

Task 4: Use a Leaning Ladder Safely

1. Set the angle with the 1-in-4 rule. For every 4 units of height, the foot should be 1 unit out from the wall. This gives about 75°.
2. Place the feet on firm, level ground and rest the top against a solid surface, never against guttering or glass.
3. Secure it by tying it off where you can or using a stability device. A second person footing the ladder is a last resort.
4. Keep three points of contact (two feet and one hand) at the working position.
5. Don't work from the top three rungs. If you are climbing onto a landing, the ladder should extend at least 1 m above it.

Ladders are for short, light jobs. For longer or heavier work, use a platform or a tower, or call a professional.

Task 5: Recognise Where Asbestos May Be Present

Asbestos was widely used in UK buildings. HSE advises that if a building was built or refurbished before 2000, you should assume it may contain asbestos. It is mainly a danger when disturbed. Drilling, sanding, scraping or breaking it releases fibres you cannot see or smell. Breathing them can cause mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer, often many years later.

Common places asbestos is found:

• Textured coatings on ceilings and walls (for example, Artex)
• Vinyl floor tiles and the adhesive or paper backing beneath them
• Lagging on old boilers and pipes
• Asbestos insulating board in fire doors, partitions, ceiling tiles and boxing-in
• Asbestos cement water tanks, panels, roof sheets and garage roofs
• Toilet cisterns, and rope seals and gaskets in old heaters
• Flash guards in old fuse boxes

What to do if you suspect it:

1. Stop work immediately. Do not sand, scrape, drill or break the material.
2. Leave it undisturbed and keep other people away from any damaged material.
3. Get advice. Renters should tell the landlord. Owners should get the material tested by a qualified asbestos surveyor before going any further.

Example: You want to drill a ceiling with a swirly 1970s finish to fit a new light hook. Don't drill. Get the coating tested first.

Key Takeaways

• Before each job, name the hazards and then choose eye, hearing, hand and dust protection to match them.
• For high-dust work, use an EN 149 FFP3 mask that fits properly. Paper nuisance masks don't protect you.
• Check the stiles, feet, rungs and locks before every use, and don't use a ladder that fails.
• Stepladders: open and lock them fully, and stay off the top two steps (three on swing-back types) unless there is a safe handhold.
• Leaning ladders: use the 1-in-4 angle, keep three points of contact and stay off the top three rungs.
• If a building was built or refurbished before 2000, assume asbestos may be present. If you suspect a material, stop, leave it alone and get advice.