E.R. doctor offers safety tips for do-it-yourselfers

Thomas Mullin, MD is an emergency physician on staff at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital

The weather is changing, so it is time to prepare for old man winter. As an emergency physician for more than 30 years, I have seen too many people sustain significant and sometimes catastrophic injuries as a result of trying to take on seasonal household projects on their own. Below is a list of safety tips for those daring do-it yourselfers to minimize preventable emergency visits.

If you live in one of the many Hinsdale neighborhoods with lots of trees and you have no gutter guards, the gutters will need to be cleaned.

Remember:

• Never drink and climb.

• Pick a day that is dry and warm, with no ice or wind.

• This is a two-man job, so make sure that somebody is assisting you. Prior to getting up on your ladder, make sure it is high enough, sturdy and evenly stationed on the ground.

• Never stand on the top rung, and never get your weight out over one of the sides.

• Never get up on the roof. Stay on the ladder because it is much more stable.

• Limit your reaching. It is much safer to move the ladder in order to reach.

If you have any physical impairment, anxiety about heights, visual problems or difficulty with your balance, you should hire a professional do this. You will save thousands of dollars and maybe your life. My rule of thumb is the older you are, the closer to the ground you should stay at all times—you just don't have the stamina and strength you used to and you don't heal as quickly! Keep the above safety tips in mind when putting up Christmas lights and decorations as well.

Now that you have cleaned out the gutters and put up the Christmas lights and tree it is finally time to relax at home in front of the warm fireplace; however, before you do that, you must first make sure that your chimney is ready.

• If your chimney has not been cleaned out by a chimney sweep in quite some time, now is the time to call them. This will allow all of the toxic gases to escape, as well as prevent any fires in your chimney from creosote that accumulates on the walls from previous fires. The sweepers will also check that no animals have set up residency in your chimney, obstructing the outlet.

• Make sure that the flute is open prior to starting a fire.

• If you have a gas starter, do not allow the gas to run for any significant amount of time prior to lighting the fire. Doing so may cause a minor explosion when the gas ignites, causing significant burning sensations to your arms and face, as well as singeing your nasal hairs and eyebrows and possibly damaging your corneas, trachea and bronchial tubes.

Carbon monoxide poisonings occur every year. This gas is a silent killer, having no smell or taste. Have your furnace and gas water heater checked yearly. A professional will make sure that the heat exchanger and exhaust pipes are working correctly. This is really important for people with older furnaces. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisonings usually begin with headaches, dizzy, nausea and vomiting, followed by confusion, disorientation, shortness of breath, passing out and ultimately death if exposed long enough. If everyone in your home starts having headaches and feeling terrible and you know that the furnace has been on, it is not the flu or what you had for dinner that night! Remove your family from your home, including pets, and call the fire department to assess your home for carbon monoxide poisoning.

I hope these insights will make your winter months much safer, and save you a trip to the emergency department this year.