A DIY first aid guide for the bank holiday weekend has been issued by St John Ambulance.
It outlines the steps that should be taken if people sustain injuries in the coming bank holidays when many plan home and garden improvements.
Around 200,000 people are admitted to hospital every year as a result of DIY accidents.
Injuries tend to vary in scope – 4,000 people are admitted to hospital following accidents involving furniture, while a fall on or off a ladder led to almost 7,000 hospital admissions.
Tools and machinery have shown to result in the highest number of DIY injuries, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of all DIY-related hospital admissions.
Among the injuries covered are those to the head which could be potentially serious if the correct action is not taken.
Isobel Kearl, training officer for St John Ambulance said: “It’s important that everyone learns basic first aid, especially as so many accidents happen at home.
“First aid is such a simple skill but it has an incredible impact.
“Armed with this knowledge, we can all be the difference between a life lost and a life saved.”
Visit www.sja.org.uk to view the guide or for more information about St John Ambulance’s work .
Story by Tom Martin.
