Safety Tips for Outdoor Workers
Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, and outdoor workers who naturally spend more time outside, working in the sun, are the biggest victims. They are at greater risk of getting exposed to UV radiation and developing skin cancers. That said, sun safety is often neglected in the workplace, especially by construction companies. If proper sun safety precautions aren’t followed, workers can suffer from serious health issues.
Therefore, with the sun right on the horizon, we have come up with a few tips to help keep you and your employees safe and healthy.
1. Long safety coats and trousers are a must
Taking off your shirt is the biggest temptation when feeling the heat, especially when the sun is right above the head and your day at work has just started. However, you and your workers should resist the temptation to avoid sunburn. They must use long safety coats that can cover their skin from head to toe is a must. Though that won’t help you feel better, it will drastically minimize the risk of skin cancer and other kinds of damage to your skin. Besides, there are other things you can do to beat the heat. For instance, when the opportunity presents itself, such as on breaks – sit in the shade. You can remove your long coats while you’re sitting in the shade.
2. Cover your top with hard hats
Summers or not, construction sites are very risky and are amongst one of the most dangerous industries globally. Workplace hazards such as heights and falls, slips and trips, collapses, etc. are very common – and workers are at constant risk of getting physically hurt. While people can recover from injuries in most body parts with proper treatment, injuries to the head – the brain are mostly life-threatening.
If you belong to the ‘outdoor workers’ category of employees, safety hats or helmets should be an inevitable part of your uniform. There are two reasons why safety headgear is important: (1) protects you from the sun, and (2) minimizes the damage your head might incur if it hits something hard.
3. Protective Eyewear
Harmful UV radiations affect not only your skin but also your eyes. You should always carry two pairs of suitable eye gear, designed specifically to shield your eyes from UV rays and other harmful radiations coming from the sun, along with other safety gear mentioned above. There’s a broad range of protective eyewear, designed as per industry standards and safety regulations specified by the concerned authorities. You can choose the best one for yourself to protect your eyes from the sun and its blinding sun radiations.
Apart from the above-listed PPE, there are a few more things outdoor workers or their employers can do to ensure utmost safety at the workplace. One of the first things to do is apply sunscreen before stepping out in the sun, ensure regular supply of drinking water to keep the workers hydrated, and also provide them with safety gloves to keep them safe from injuries.
