With spring just around the corner, Kiwis across the country are planning to get stuck into some DIY projects.
But data shows that some handywork should come with a safety warning, as outdoor injuries normally spike at this time of year.
Last year, ACC received over 19,000 DIY injury-related claims at a cost of $30 million.
The number is higher for those injured in the garden, with almost 75,000 injuries last year, costing around $113 million.
Some of those garden-related injuries come from the lawnmower, with nearly 7000 lawnmowing-related claims made – with last year the highest since 2019. The cost of the injuries was over $12.5 million.
Whenever spinning blades are involved, most people tend to think of gruesome, bloody injuries -- but ACC injury prevention leader Jame Whitaker told Breakfast the majority of these are actually “sprains and strains”.
"People are primarily hurting their lower backs,” he said. “And that can linked to moving the lawnmower.”
He said the start of spring “is that time of year” for gardening injuries, as lawns are just starting to grow after winter.
Whitaker said that people are getting hurt in a “wide range of ways”, but most of it is “preventable”.
“If you slow down a little bit and think things through, you should be alright.”
He offered some advice to help people ensure they aren't injured doing to their chores.
Whitaker said to make sure the area is clear and that proper steel-capped shoes should be worn.
“Don’t wear jandals.”
He also advised people to learn how to use their mowers and make sure their kids are not around.
Sarah Payne, who lost a finger in a DIY accident, also had some advice.
“Slow down, I was rushing because I was tired, I wasn’t thinking, I wasn’t thinking ahead.”
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