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Stay safe while you work: Wear a hard hat and safety goggles when there is a danger of failing materials. Wear the right gloves to protect your hands from cuts or exposure to hazardous chemicals. Wear rubber boots or hard -soled boots, preferably with steel toes, when working and lifting. Wear a face mask. If you enter a flooded building, wear a dust mask or respirator to reduce your exposure to mold. At your hardware or home supply store, look for a mask with "NIOSH" approval and an N-95 rating. Both of these marks should be on the respirator and the container. Read and follow the instructions on the mask package. Remember that the masks are disposable and should be thrown away at the end of the day. Stay alert. Accidents happen when people are tired. Take the breaks you need, and drink plenty of fluids (bottled water, juice, soft drinks) to avoid dehydration. Never drink alcohol when you are working in a flooded building. Protect yourself from bacteria and viruses. To keep from getting sick, wear rubber gloves while working; do not eat, drink, or smoke in the house; and wash your hands frequently with soap. Wet down mold. Before you touch, move, or clean moldy or mildewed materials, wef the mold with a soapy solution from a spray bottle to prevent the mold from getting into the air. Do this even if the material is already wet because the mold probably won't be wet. Remember that mold can still make you sick even after you have sprayed disinfectants ("mold/mildew killer") to kill it. Be careful lifting. To avoid back injury when lifting or handling heavy loads like furniture or carpet, avoid lifting loads of more than 50 pounds per person. Get help. Before you disturb or remove materials that may be hazardous, take precautions to prevent exposure. If there is a noticeable chemical odor and/or a spilled container of a hazardous material in the building, call the fire department for help. If there is asbestos or lead paint in the building, call the Department of Health's Noise Radiation and Indoor Air Quality Branch at 586--4700. Be prepared.lf you get a cut or a puncture wound that is exposed to sewage, floodwater, or the dirt it leaves behind, see a doctor. Make sure your tetanus immunization is up-to-date before you work on the house. Once immunized, adults should have a routine "booster" every ten years..