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SAFETY 101: WORKING OUTDOORS



Hot summer months pose special hazards for outdoor workers who must protect themselves against heat, sun exposure, and other hazards. Employers and employees should know the potential hazards in their workplaces and how to manage them.

Sun
Sunlight contains ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which causes premature aging of the skin, wrinkles, cataracts, and skin cancer. There are no safe UV rays or safe suntans. Be especially careful in the sun if you burn easily, spend a lot of time outdoors, or have any of the following physical features: numerous, irregular, or large moles; freckles; fair skin; or blond, red, or light brown hair. Here's how to block those harmful rays:
Cover up. Wear tightly woven clothing that you can't see through.
Use sunscreen. A sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 blocks 93 percent of UV rays. Be sure to follow application directions on the bottle or tube.
Wear a hat. A wide brim hat, not a baseball cap, works best because it protects the neck, ears, eyes, forehead, nose, and scalp.
Wear UV-absorbent shades. Sunglasses don't have to be expensive, but they should block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB radiation. Before you buy, read the product tag or label.
Limit exposure. UV rays are most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Helpful link: http://www.cdc.gov/chooseyourcover

Heat
The combination of heat and humidity can be a serious health threat during the summer months. If you work at a beach resort, on a farm, or in a kitchen, laundry, or bakery, for example, you may be at risk for heat-related illness. So, take precautions. Here's how:
Drink plenty of water before you get thirsty.
Wear light, loose-fitting, breathable clothing - cotton is good.
Take frequent short breaks in cool shade.
Eat smaller meals before work activity.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol or large amounts of sugar.
Find out from your health-care provider if your medications and heat don't mix.
Know that equipment such as respirators or work suits can increase heat stress.

Lyme Disease
This illness is caused by bites from infected ticks. Most, but not all, victims will develop a "bulls-eye" rash. Other signs and symptoms may be non-specific and similar to flu symptoms such as fever, lymph node swelling, neck stiffness, generalized fatigue, headaches, migrating joint aches, or muscle aches. You are at increased risk if your work outdoors involves construction, landscaping, forestry, brush clearing, land surveying, farming, railroads, oil fields, utility lines, or park and wildlife management. Protect yourself with these precautions:
Wear light-colored clothes to see ticks more easily.
Wear long sleeves; tuck pant legs into socks or boots.
Wear high boots or closed shoes that cover your feet completely.
Wear a hat.
Use tick repellants, but not on your face. Shower after work. Wash and dry your work clothes at high temperature.
Examine your body for ticks after work. Remove any attached ticks promptly with fine-tipped tweezers. Do not use petroleum jelly, a hot match, or nail polish to remove the tick.

Helpful link: http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_LymeFacts/lymefac.pdf

West Nile Virus
Illness from the West Nile virus is rare, but it does happen. Mild symptoms include fever, headache, and body aches, occasionally with a skin rash on the trunk of the body and swollen lymph glands. Symptoms of severe infection include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, and paralysis. Getting rid of standing water in containers such as discarded tires, buckets, and barrels helps reduce mosquito breeding areas. In addition, you can protect yourself from mosquito bites in these ways:
Apply insect repellent with DEET to exposed skin.
Spray clothing with repellents containing DEET or permethrin.
Wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks.
Be extra vigilant at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.

Helpful link: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm

More Information
Do you have teenagers working at summer jobs this year? You and they may want to check out one of these websites:
Department of Labor at http://www.youthrules.dol.gov
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/

For help tailored to your specific needs, contact the Minnesota Safety Council at 651-291-9150/800-444-9150.

Acknowledgments:
U.S. Dept. of Labor, OSHA