Sun Safety When Working Outdoors
If you work outdoors, over exposure to the sun is a real concern, even in our often cloudy British climate. Slapping on the sun cream might not be part of some trades’ daily routine but it’s a good idea, especially during the summer months. Being exposed to excessive UVA and UVB rays can have consequences beyond a bit of sunburn. Melanoma is now the 5th most common cancer in the UK, with rates doubling in last decade. A history of getting sunburn and having fair skin increases your risk too. So, if you’re working on outdoor construction sites or doing exterior maintenance and repairs, here are a few sun safety tips for hot weather.
Use UV protection every day – sunlight is good for us in reasonable doses, but over-exposure is easy if you work outdoors, even on an overcast day. Regularly applying a good sun cream with the right SPF for your skin type to any exposed skin will help protect you from UV damage.
Try and stay out of the sun – easier said than done if you’re roofing or on an open construction site, but if you can take regular breaks in the shade, all the better. It’s especially useful to stay out of the sun during peak hours around midday, if possible. If you can’t, slap on the sunscreen, wear a hat that provides shade to your face and neck or cover up with lightweight clothing if you can. Not always great on a hot day, but better than sunburn.
Stay hydrated – it’s surprisingly easy to become dehydrated, particularly if you’re doing heavy labour under a hot sun. A brew can quench your thirst but contains caffeine which is a diuretic, so water or sports drinks might be a better option on a really warm day. Small, regular hydration breaks are best. An average person should drink around 8-10 glasses of fluid on a normal day, so if you’re doing a more active job in the outdoors, you might need to up that a bit.
Wear sunglasses – UV rays can be very damaging to the eyes. A pair of wraparound sunglasses that won’t fall off while you’re working are a good bet. Choose a pair that have the CE Mark as they will meet the UV protection standard. Not only will they protect against direct sunlight, if you’re working with reflective materials like steel or glass, sunglasses will also help reduce glare. It’s worth noting that a lot of the protection safety glasses used by trades also offer UV protection, so it’s worth checking any you’ve already got.
Encourage others to protect themselves – using sunscreen may not always be seen as the norm in certain working environments but that doesn’t mean attitudes can’t change. While some people only associate sun cream with going to the beach, it’s really important for trades who spend a lot of time working outdoors to protect themselves from sun damage. Even if others aren’t going to jump on board, protecting yourself should be non-negotiable. The risk of skin cancer is real.
Sun safety on site
So, if you do find yourself working on an outdoor job, go prepared. It’s not just about making yourself more comfortable while you’re carrying out a job on a hot day. Sun safety is a serious business. Sun damage is cumulative and potentially deadly. Taking small steps to protect yourself from the sun now will mean a much lower risk of skin damage or skin cancer in the future.
