DIY Safety Risk Check Before You Start

Spot hazards and jobs that need a professional.

Added October 15, 2026. Written with AI assistance and checked for clarity and placeholders; not reviewed by a lawyer, accountant, clinician or other professional. How these prompts are made

The Open buttons send the prompt text as currently shown below to that site only when you click. Fill in the placeholders first.

[VERIFY] is an editorial flag, not a blank to fill. Wherever the prompt shows [VERIFY], check that item against a reliable source before you use it (what [VERIFY] means).

Run a safety check on my plan. List of jobs and the tools I will use: [JOB_AND_TOOLS]. Age and condition of the property: [PROPERTY_DETAILS]. Anyone else who will be in the space (children, pets): [OTHERS_IN_SPACE].

For each job list the main hazards (working at height, dust, fumes, manual handling, electricity, gas, water, asbestos or lead in older buildings, sharp tools) and the protection needed. Mark jobs that should be done by a qualified professional or need a permit or inspection. Do not give instructions for electrical, gas or structural work.

Return a table with Job, Hazard, Controls and Professional needed, a first-aid and emergency checklist, and a rule to stop work when something is unexpected. Regulations vary and local advice is essential [VERIFY] for [JURISDICTION].

Add a worked hazard table with invented jobs. Painting a ceiling from a ladder: hazards include falls, drips and fumes; controls: a stable ladder or platform used as the manufacturer instructs, someone present, ventilation, eye protection; professional needed: no. Replacing a light fitting: hazards include electric shock and fire; professional needed: likely, depending on local rules; I should not attempt it without the right qualifications and permits [VERIFY]. Removing an interior wall: hazards include structural collapse and hidden services; professional needed: yes, a structural engineer and building approval. Sanding old paint in a house built before 1980: possible lead; get advice and test before work; avoid dry sanding and keep children away. Cutting old insulation or roofing sheets: possible asbestos; stop and contact a qualified assessor. Count: of five jobs, four need a professional or testing, 80 percent. First-aid checklist: kit, phone, address ready for emergency services, location of stopcock and fuse box known. Emergency rule: if something unexpected appears, stop, make safe if you can without risk, and call a professional. Add personal protective equipment list and a rule about not working alone on risky tasks. Include a note on keeping children and pets out of the space and storing chemicals safely. Local rules and approvals must be confirmed with the authority.

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Invented jobs. Painting a ceiling: falls, fumes; stable ladder or platform used as the maker instructs, ventilation, eye protection; no professional needed.
New light fitting: electric shock and fire; likely needs a qualified person under local rules [VERIFY].
Removing an interior wall: structural and hidden services; engineer and approval needed.
Sanding paint in a pre-1980 house: possible lead; get advice and test first.
Old insulation or roofing sheets: possible asbestos; stop and contact an assessor.
Four of five jobs need a professional or testing = 80 percent.

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