The height of summer is now upon us; with the excitement of the seaside, BBQ's and holidays it is easy to put things to one side.
However, health and safety should still be kept at the forefront of workplace considerations, particularly with the hazards summer can bring.
Managing health and safety in the summer
During the summer, more workers are undertaking tasks outdoors. Working outside in warm temperatures can cause heat illness such as heat stroke, exhaustion and fatigue. Workers can also be exposed to heat in hot indoor environments such as boiler rooms, kitchens, chemical plants etc.
Tips for preventing heat illness include:
As well as heat illness, workers can face other hazards from working outdoors during summer including exposure to ultraviolet radiation (which can potentially cause skin cancer or sun burns), hearing damage from loud noises or chemical hazards such as pesticides.
Take extra precaution for summer jobs
Workers are more likely to be injured in workplace accidents during the initial stages of a new job – reasons for this can include a general lack of work experience (as summer jobs tend to be undertaken by young people), unfamiliarity with the workplace and work processes or a failure of employers to provide the necessary training.
Considerations for summer jobs should include:
It is important for both employers and employees to be aware of the hazards summer can bring; by understanding the risks and taking the necessary precautions, you can keep both yourself and others safe while working during the summer months.
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