Health and Safety in Summer
When summer finally arrives and the temperature warms up at last, it also leads to a number of health and safety risks which may not be so much of an issue during the colder months. These include:
Sun risk - Being out in the sun, either sunbathing or working, brings with it the risk of sunburn and heatstroke. A person suffering from heatstroke will become dehydrated and may cause sickness as well as the possibility of the person passing out, which not only puts them at risk from injuries such as head trauma when they fall, but is particularly serious if they are working at height, as a fall over the side or a dropping of equipment puts themselves or others below in danger. If sunburn is severe or prolonged, there is the chance of conditions such as skin cancer developing, or at the very least, discomfort as the skin becomes sensitive. Workers whose occupation involves them working outside for most of the time like construction workers are at the highest risk and must take suitable precautions such as drinking lots of water and covering up their skin as much as possible, particularly during the middle of the day when the sun?s rays are at their most intense. Hats should also be worn, although construction site workers should be wearing protective headgear anyway when on site.
Sharps risks - Spring and summer is a favourite time for plants and vegetation, who use the increased amount of sunlight to grow. Not only will lawns be cut, hedges chopped and trees felled by recreational gardeners, but many occupations involve vegetation cutting, including handymen and roadside maintenance workers. All this equipment poses a risk of severe injury to the operator or a person nearby, as they require sharp edges to cut through the plant material. Tools such as lawnmowers, strimmers, edgers, chainsaws and secateurs can all cause injury if used incorrectly, without proper care and attention, or without the necessary safeguards in place such as blade guards.
COSHH issues - A number of people take advantage of the warm weather and national holidays to undertake various renovations and DIY projects. In doing so, they can come into contact with a variety of hazardous substances that can be harmful to a person's health including paint fumes, solvents such as paintbrush cleaner, and dust (either normal everyday dust which is kicked up when disturbed or plaster/cement dust). These hazardous substances can enter the body through a variety of means including inhalation, being swallowed, or absorbed through the skin, all of which needs to be taken into account by both amateur DIYers and professional tradesman alike to prevent short-term or long-term health issues.
Health and Safety Training
At ATC Risk Management, we offer a range of health and safety training courses; from accredited qualifications from the leading health and safety awarding bodies, through to bespoke training courses on a variety of topics including sharps training courses and COSHH training which are tailored to your specific requirements and the exact risks that your workers face whilst performing their workplace duties. For more information, please call us on 0115 984 9940 or visit our website by clicking on our logo below:
