7 Must-Have Safety Items before starting your Bus Conversion
Believe me when I say that protecting yourself is the most important thing to keep in mind when converting a bus. Here we’ve compiled a list of 7 things that we’ve found to be very useful in regards to preventing any unfortunate mishaps. I don’t know about you, but a tetanus shot does not sound like my idea of fun.
1. Eye Protection
I definitely can’t express how important eye protection is! This is probably single-handedly the most important piece of safety equipment and the most essential. When working on a bus conversion, stuff goes flying everywhere. Believe me, it’s not pretty, and if you go blind from getting hit in the eyes with debris then nothing will ever be pretty again. I’m definitely not trying to “fear-monger” or anything, but I can’t stress enough how you absolutely SHOULD NEVER go without eye protection in the process of converting a bus. Here is a very good brand that offers full protection of your eyes from unwanted particles, debris, and mold.
Clear Anti-Fog Dual Mold Safety Goggles
2. Face Shield
When we were ripping out the seats, we found that the thread on some of the bolts was so rusted that simply unscrewing them was an impossible feat. We ended up needing to use an angle grinder to cut through them all together. Sparks go flying everywhere in the process of cutting metal, so a good face shield is absolutely 100% necessary. The one that we used we just happened to have on hand, but here is one that is very similar that has very good reviews.
Uvex Face Shield with Clear Visor
3. Respirator
This, in addition to our eye protection, came in handy for when we removed the insulation in our bus. Insulation is nasty stuff. It’s loaded with tiny particles and irritants that are definitely not good for anyone! To avoid getting any of these particles in your lungs, it’s very important to have a respirator, or at the very least, a dust mask, while removing insulation from your bus.
3M Mold and Lead Paint Removal Respirator, Medium
4. Gloves
So remember that tetanus shot I mentioned earlier? Gloves are probably the biggest preventative measure you can take against having to endure that. The ceiling panels on our bus were very sharp and the seats had a lot of rust on them, so without gloves it could have easily been a disaster waiting to happen. Not to mention that you’ll want some kind of protection on your hands when removing the insulation. If you’ve ever touched fiberglass before, then you’ll know that it makes your hands itchy and red and pretty much ruins the day for all parties involved.
5. Knee Pads
With converting a bus, there is literally an endless amount of things that you have to do on your knees (get your head out of the gutter, people!). What I mean is, there’s seat removal, floor removal, crawling under the bus, etc. It’s a lot of work that could potentially be painful to the knees if you’re getting old like me. Knee pads are definitely a must-have for this kind of undertaking and I would highly recommend getting yourself a pair!
6. Ear Protection
Do you value your hearing? I’m actually hearing impaired myself, but the hearing that I do have I cherish very much! There are a lot of really loud power tools that come into play when converting a bus, so I would recommend getting a pair of these bad boys to protect that precious hearing of yours. Take it from someone who knows, not being able to hear very well is a tough gig.
Noise Reduction Safety Ear Muffs
7. First Aid Kit
Even with all of the protective measures listed above, it’s still important to have a first aid kit handy. Accidents can and will happen and it’s better to be prepared. While we were installing sheet metal, we had an accident happen with the drill. Needless to say, we were very lucky to have everything we needed on the scene. Our bus came with its original first aid kit, but if yours didn’t, we found a great one for you that has everything you’d need to fix up any minor injuries that happen on the job. If it did, make sure to take note of everything that’s in it and add any missing items.
So while a lot of this stuff seems like common sense, there were actually a few of these that we didn’t think about until after we had started our project. Hopefully this has helped you with anything that you may not have thought about for your conversion and best of luck to you on your journey to life in a bus!
