20

December

Stay Safe in the Sun

Too much sunlight is harmful to your skin. A tan is a sign that the skin has been damaged. The damage is caused by ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight. When working outdoors the effects of the weather in this environment can potentially have a very serious impact on an employee’s welfare if the risks have never been previously considered or managed properly. This impact may be immediate or it can occur over a long time period of time.

For example, exposure to the sun can cause skin damage including sunburn, blistering and skin ageing and in the long term can lead to an increased risk of skin cancer. Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the UK with over 50,000 new cases every year.

Each year many people suffer, unnecessarily, from sunburn and over 2300 people die from skin cancer caused by sun exposure.

Stay safe in the Sun – Who is at risk?

If work keeps you outdoors for a long time, then your skin could be exposed to more UV light from the sun than is healthy for you. Outdoor workers that could be at risk include farm or construction workers, market gardeners, outdoor activity workers and some public service workers. You should take particular care if you have:

  • fair or freckled skin that doesn’t tan, or goes red or burns before it tans;
  • red or fair hair and light coloured eyes;
  • a large number of moles.

People of all skin colours should take care to avoid damage to the eyes, overheating and dehydration.

Stay safe in the Sun – What harm can be caused?

In the short term, even mild reddening of the skin from sun exposure is a sign of damage. Sunburn can blister the skin and make it peel. Longer term problems can arise. Too much sun speeds up ageing of the skin, making it leathery, mottled and wrinkled. The most serious effect is an increased chance of developing skin cancer.

Advice and Expertise

Whatever advice your company requires, our consultants are on hand to provide it. We speak your language and work with you to deliver a service that meets the needs of your business.

We can assist with the development, maintenance and implementation of safety management systems that will meet your company’s needs

We can:

  • Provide you with an easy to understand report.
  • Identify areas of weakness and provide practical recommendations for compliance and good working practices.
  • Prepare a detailed action plan to ensure compliance in a practical and timely manner.
  • Give you peace of mind that your company is operating safely.

Our consultants can provide you with information relating to any Health & Safety issue you may have.

“A good service at a fair price. Excellent background knowledge. LRB are keen to help and provides us with solutions to our problems.” 

Rivendell Building Contractors Limited

 

Stay safe in the Sun – What can you do to protect your Staff?

  1. Reschedule work to cooler times of the day
  2. Provide more frequent rest breaks and introduce shading to rest areas
  3. Provide free access to cool drinking water
  4. Look to provide shade in certain work
  5. Ensure your staff always wear a safety helmet on site (if required), which also provides UV protection for your head.
  6. Educate workers about recognising the early symptoms of heat stress
  7. Include sun protection advice in routine health and safety training.

Stay safe in the Sun – What can your employees do to protect themselves?

  1. Reapply suncrean, if you are going to be outside in the sunlight for a period of time, it is important to reapply sunscreen every two hours to ensure your sunscreen is working properly.
  2. Suncream is particularly useful as a supplement to the protection offered by clothing, especially for those parts of the body that are less easily protected (such as the face and the hands). A sun cream of at least sun protection factor (SPF) 15 is recommended.
  3. Check their skin regularly for any unusual moles or spots. See a doctor promptly if they find anything that is changing in shape, size or colour, itching or bleeding.
  4. Take their breaks in the shade and refrain from sunbathing.

So, what can you do to protect yourself?

  • Keep your top on.
  • Wear sunglasses.
  • Wear a hat with a brim or a flap that covers the ears and the back of the neck.
  • Stay in the shade whenever possible, during your breaks and especially at lunch time.
  • Use a high factor sunscreen of at least SPF15 on any exposed skin.
  • Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
  • Check your skin regularly for any unusual moles or spots. See a doctor promptly if you find anything that is changing in shape, size or colour, itching or bleeding.

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