Garages get used for many different purposes, so safety is very important. Here are some tips to make sure your garage is safe.
Garage Safety Tips:
- Storing Dangerous Chemicals: Keep gasoline, paint thinner, pesticides, fertilizer, and any other potentially harmful chemicals out of reach of children.
- Storing Flammable Liquids: Keep flammable liquids, such as gasoline and paint thinner, in approved labeled containers and away from ignition sources, such as hot water heaters. Make sure the garage is properly ventilated, and have a Class B/C fire extinguisher mounted where it’s easily accessible.
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Carbon monoxide gas is odorless, invisible, and can build up quickly in a garage and seep into adjacent living spaces. Never leave a car running in a garage or operate power equipment that has an internal combustion engine, such as a portable generator or pressure washer, inside a garage.
- Garage Lighting: Make sure the garage has adequate lighting that is easy to turn on at night or when the garage door is closed.
- Organize Storage: Install shelving and minimize clutter in a garage to reduce tripping hazards and prevent accidents.
- Garage Door Maintenance: Check bolts and screws on garage doors regularly and tighten any loose fasteners you find. If the door is equipped with an electric garage door opener, test the sensors in the doorway regularly to be sure they are operating properly and will stop the door if an obstruction is in the opening.
Watch the video above to find out more.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Allen Lyle: Garages get used for a lot of different purposes, so safety is a very important consideration. If you store things like gasoline, paint thinner, pesticides, or fertilizer, they should be out of reach for kids and the area must be well ventilated.
Keep flammables, like fuel, only in approved labeled containers and away from ignition sources. As an extra precaution, be sure you have a Class B/C fire extinguisher mounted where it’s accessible.
Never leave a car running or operate power equipment with an internal combustion engine inside the garage. Carbon Monoxide gas is odorless, invisible, and can build up quickly in a garage and seep into adjacent living space, too.
Be sure the garage has adequate lighting and minimize clutter to reduce tripping hazards and prevent accidents.
Garage doors should checked regularly for loose fasteners. If the door is equipped with an electric opener, test the sensors in the doorway regularly to be sure they are operating properly and will stop the door when there’s an obstruction in the opening.
Further Information
- Garage Floor Finishing Options (video)
- How to Hang Bikes in a Garage (video)
- Storing Garden Tools in a Garage (video)
