Are Emergency Room Visits Up?

 Right now there are a lot of people laid off from work and I'm sure DIY home improvement is happening more so than usual. It is here. That got me thinking, I wonder how the emergency rooms are holding up when there has to be a bunch of knuckleheads showing up needing stitches, crap removed from eyes and even casts.

 I know all of you out there run all the proper guards on your equipment. Some of my old equipment was built before anyone thought about guards or Grandpa removed them decades ago. Actually they were built before everyone got sue-happy.

 Then you have other things like ladders where it just takes one wrong step to screw up your day.  I'm happy to report I didn't have any issues with my ladder yesterday.
 Today I have a plumbing project but really whats the worst plumbing accident I could have? I touch something icky or have to deal with foul odors from a rogue turd? I'm replacing a garbage disposal so the turd thing is unlikely. If I do see a turd then an intervention with the cats is probably in order. The most likely problem that would land me in the ER is if my project leaks and I slip and fall in the puddle, cracking my head open.
 The other day I wired a new light in my garage. I've had the light here for so long that I have to guesstimate its been 5-8 years waiting to be installed. I don't like to rush into things I guess. Anyway, the install went fine but I just want to say make sure you shut the power off on the circuit you're working on. Yes the power was off and yes I tested it at the light. Turns out I didn't know what circuit I was on but again, the power was off at the light. It just shows that you can't be too careful. Getting a shock, falling off a ladder then slipping in a puddle of your own piss does not sound like a good time.
 And finally you just have screwballs putting their fingers where they don't belong.

 Despite all the efforts to stay out of the E-room, I did manage to get an owie. It was not while I was performing any type of task except walking. I ran my elbow across a sharp edge on my shop furnace and got a pretty good cut. Maybe only a half inch long but kinda deep. The good news is that it created another small project to keep busy with...fixing the sharp edge on the shop furnace. Can't blame the furnace. Its claimed a few shirts over the years but never flesh. It should have been fixed long ago.

 No visit to the E-room for a scratch like that but its what got me thinking that I need to be careful so I don't have to make a visit to the germ factory.
 So if you've found yourself with time on your hands for DIY projects then please be careful.

Later.