FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter Instagram Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe

In every issue you'll find...

  • Expert insights on techniques and principles
  • Unbiased tool reviews
  • Step-by-step details to master the job
  • Field-tested advice and know-how
Subscribe Now!
Subscribe
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
  • Join
  • Log In
Subscribe
How-To

Danger Can Be a State of Mind

When it comes to job-site safety, your emotional well-being is as important as earplugs and safety goggles.

By Larry Haun Issue 120

Synopsis: A short essay on how state of mind plays a role in job-site safety by a carpenter with four decades of experience. Good advice on a topic that doesn’t get much attention — but undoubtedly should.

I remember working with a carpenter in the 1950s, building roofs on a tract of houses. He was going through rough times at home with his family. Every morning, his body was on the job at 7 a.m., but his mind didn’t get there until about 10. During this three-hour period, he was basically, like the cars Ralph Nader warned us about, “unsafe at any speed.” On two different occasions, he dropped a 2x rafter, nearly breaking my foot. To save my feet, I used to give him an early morning wake-up call by swinging a 2x around and rapping him on the shins—sort of a case of him or me. This story ended when he cut a huge gash in his forearm with a circular saw. It was in the days before 911, so I had to stop the blood flow, get him off the roof and take him to the emergency room. I never saw him after that, but I heard that he joined the fire department. I wished them well.

Anyone who works on a construction site ought to know that it’s a potentially dangerous place to work. An injury on the job is not only embarrassing and painful, but it also can mean the temporary or permanent loss of income and even death. Bureau of Labor Statistics information shows that in 1996, more than ten out of every 100 carpenters were injured on the job; worse, nearly 600 construction workers lost their lives that year. Of course, some accidents do seem unavoidable, but most often, they happen because someone with a hard hat just wasn’t paying attention.

What about mental safety?

Most of the articles I read on safety, including those from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), warn you to keep your workplace clean and to wear hard hats, knee pads, safety glasses, earplugs, dust masks and back braces. Keep tools in good repair, lift with your arms and legs and not with your back, don’t drink or use drugs while driving nails. The list is endless, albeit important.

But safety is more than new brooms, proper clothing and sharp saws. Workers aren’t muscle-and-bone machines that can be plugged in like power tools and expected to run safely all day long. We go to work with hearts and minds that need as much protection as our bodies.

I’ve worked in the construction trades for more than 40 years, and I knew from the first day on the job that I needed to wear protective gear. However, it took me a long time to figure out that when my feelings were intense, my mind would be elsewhere and that I had to be careful while working. During times of distraction, all of us are accident-prone.

For more details on job-site safety, click the View PDF button below. 

Sign up for eletters today and get the latest how-to from Fine Homebuilding, plus special offers.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters
×

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters
View PDF

New Feature

Fine Homebuilding Forums

Ask questions, offer advice, and share your work

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

Modern and Geometric Home in New England

Comprised of three simple, triangular forms, this minimalist Vermont house is infused with character and culture.

Featured Video

A Modern California Home Wrapped in Rockwool Insulation for Energy Efficiency and Fire Resistance

The designer and builder of the 2018 Fine Homebuilding House detail why they chose mineral-wool batts and high-density boards for all of their insulation needs.

Related Stories

  • Editorial Note: People Live in Buildings
  • Compact Tablesaw for the Job Site
  • Code-Compliant Swimming Pool Barrier
  • Changes Proposed for the 2024 IRC

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Video

View All
  • Removing Lead Paint: DIY or Hire a Contractor?
  • Vented vs. Ventless Gas Heater
  • Podcast Short: Knob-and-Tube Wiring
  • Plan Ahead: Accessing a Drywall Job Site
View All

Safety

View All Safety Articles
  • A bright kitchen with a white kitchen island and warm wood floors
    Editorial Note: People Live in Buildings
  • SawStop
    Compact Tablesaw for the Job Site
  • fence
    Code-Compliant Swimming Pool Barrier
  • 2024 IRC Code
    Changes Proposed for the 2024 IRC
View All Safety Articles

BOOKS, DVDs, & MERCH

Shop the Store
  • 2022 Fine Homebuilding Archive
    Buy Now
  • Pretty Good House
    Buy Now
  • 2023 Tool Guide
    Buy Now
  • Code Check Building 4th Edition
    Buy Now
  • Shop the Store

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 313 - Feb/March 2023
    • Practical System for a Seismic Retrofit
    • Fine Homebuilding Issue #313 Online Highlights
    • Practical System for a Seismic Retrofit
  • Issue 312 - Dec 2022/Jan 2023
    • Tool Test: Cordless Tablesaws
    • Gray-Water System for a Sustainable Home
    • Insulate a Cape Roof to Avoid Ice Dams
  • Issue 311 - November 2022
    • 7 Steps to a Perfect Exterior Paint Job
    • Options for Smarter Home-Energy Tracking
    • The Fine Homebuilding Interview: James Metoyer
  • Issue 310 - October 2022
    • Choosing a Tile-Leveling System
    • Choosing Between HRVs and ERVs
    • Custom Built-in Cabinets Made Easy
  • Issue 309 - Aug/Sept 2022
    • 10 Steps to Install Crown Molding on Cabinets
    • How to Get Sturdy Walls Without OSB
    • Choosing the Right Construction Tape for the Job

Fine Homebuilding

Follow

  • twitter
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences

Taunton Network

  • Green Building Advisor
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Fine Gardening
  • Threads
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Copyright
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2023 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Shop the Store

  • Books
  • DVDs
  • Taunton Workshops

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • twitter
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in