Editor’s View: Here Comes the Sun
by Kimberly Jensen
June 25, 2008
For many people, it’s summertime and the living is easy. But for contractors, summertime means hard work--oftentimes in sweltering conditions. So during this time of year, it’s especially important to educate workers on the hazards of laboring in the sun and heat.
It seems like common sense to drink lots of water and to cover up and wear sunscreen. But common sense is not so common. What seems obvious to one person may not be apparent to another. I distinctly remember the first time I chose to use sunscreen on my own after enduring years of my mother’s prodding. But I hesitate to admit how recently I made that decision to take my skin’s health seriously.
According to OSHA, “There are no safe UV rays or safe suntans.” I would add that there are no construction workers so tough that they are immune to the dangers of sunburn and skin cancer.
In addition to skin-related risks, heat-related disorders are a very real threat to construction workers. These disorders include heat cramps, heat exhaustion (which involves dehydration) and heat stroke. Besides drinking water and dressing sensibly, OSHA offers a few lesser-known tips to avoid adverse health effects from heat:
Eat small meals before work activity.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol and large amounts of sugar.
Ask your health-care provider if the medication you are taking affects your reaction to heat.
OSHA has a wealth of information to offer on staying cool and working smart in hot conditions. You can access links to OSHA quick cards and more in Site Prep’s “Summer Safety Resource Guide” at www.siteprepmag.com/CDA/Articles/Article_Rotation/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000371458. Following these guidelines and sharing them with others certainly won’t hurt--and it may even help.
Sidebar:
In addition to the hazards associated with summertime weather, it’s also important to review safety practices for machines used more frequently during this season. OSHA recently released a Safety and Health Information Bulletin on the “Hazards of Wood Chippers.” According to OSHA, workers who feed tree limbs and branches into chippers are at risk of being caught in the machinery and pulled into the fast-turning chipper knives. The bulletin, which discusses ways to reduce or eliminate “caught-in” and “struck-by” chipper-related accidents, is also accessible in our online “Summer Safety Resource Guide.”
Kimberly Jensen
jensenk@bnpmedia.com
Kimberly Jensen is editor of Site Prep.
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