Whether you are planning an overseas vacation, getting ready for a staycation, or will be working outdoors, Richmar wants to share this list of helpful summer safety tips. From information about travel vaccinations to tips to prevent insect bites, Richmar provides resources to help keep you and your loved ones healthy and safe.
- Beat the heat and raysHeat kills more than 600 people in the United States each year. Preventing heat-related illnesses including heat stroke and heat exhaustion, is important for people of all ages, but extreme heat poses the greatest risk for people under age 4 and over 65, and anyone who has a pre-existing medical condition or who lives in a home without air conditioning. The best ways to protect yourself from heat include staying cool, hydrated and informed: find air-conditioning during hot hours and wear cool clothing, drink plenty of liquids, and pay attention to heat advisories. Sunburn is a common summertime injury. Unprotected skin can be burned by the sun’s UV rays in as little as 15 minutes, but can take up to 12 hours for the skin to show the damage. CDC recommends staying out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when its UV rays are at their highest level. Sunscreen is recommended for anyone working and playing outside in the summer, even on cloudy days. Hats, sunglasses, and long sleeves are also recommended for outdoors activities.
- Travel abroad safelyBefore traveling abroad, check out health and safety risks at your destination. Animal illnesses and drinking water might be very different from what you’re used to and could make you sick. Get needed vaccinations at least 4 to 6 weeks before you leave to ensure you’re protected by the time you travel.
- Swimming SafetyKids aren’t the only ones who need to practice safe swimming. Adults need to keep swimming safety in mind, too. Whether enjoying the pool, beach, lake, or river, any body of water can be dangerous if the appropriate precautions aren’t taken. It’s important to remember drinking alcoholic beverages and swimming don’t mix. Don’t overestimate your swimming abilities and avoid swimming alone, especially where there are reported strong currents in natural bodies of water. Designating an undistracted “water watcher” to keep an eye on your group can be helpful in detecting a swimmer in trouble.
- Remember Your Mask and Keep Sanitizer on HandThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently stated fully vaccinated folks could go mask-less for the most part. But don’t ditch the mask just yet. Crowded areas and venues — think a bustling train station or market — may still require you to wear a mask even if you’re fully vaccinated. While social settings may be a bit more relaxed now due to the COVID vaccine rollout, it’s still wise to practice good hygiene. Whether you’re at a picnic, coming out of the grocery store, or holding a stair handrail, use sanitizer any time you’re unable to get to a bathroom to wash your hands properly. Alcohol-based sanitizers with at least 60% of alcohol gets the job done.
- Young Worker Safety and HealthYoung workers (ages 15–24) have higher rates of job-related injury compared to adult workers. To help keep young workers safe at their summer jobs, CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is participating in the social media campaign to provide workplace safety and health information and resources to employers of youth, young workers, parents, and educators. My Safe Summer Job is a collaboration between government agencies—including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and NIOSH—and numerous professional and non-profit organizations, including CareerSafe and the National Safety Council. The campaign is raising awareness about job-related hazards and how to address them, workers’ rights and responsibilities, voicing safety concerns on the job, and injury prevention.
- Use Insect RepellentProtect yourself from diseases spread by mosquitoes and ticks like dengue fever, malaria, West Nile Virus, and Lyme disease by wearing bug repellent. In addition to bug spray, you can also minimize bug bites by discarding standing water in your yard (think bird baths and kiddie pools), wearing long sleeved-clothing, and using mosquito netting, when outdoors to avoid bug bites.
- Practice Fireworks SafetyIn 2019 alone, fireworks caused an estimated 10,000 injuries that required emergency treatment in U.S. hospitals. On 4th of July the same year, around 900 ER visits were associated with sparklers and 400 with bottle rockets, according to the 2019 Annual Fireworks Report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. When using fireworks, keep a safe distance once lit and don’t point fireworks toward the face or body. Keeping water nearby to extinguish fireworks is always a good idea, too.
- Watch Your GrillAs the summer months encourage more outdoor time, firing up the grill becomes a popular activity. If you love to grill, be sure to practice food safety and fire safety. That includes only grilling outdoors, keeping kids and pets away, and keeping the grill cleaned of grease and fat. Above all, never leave a grill unattended!
It’s been a long year of lockdowns, safety mandates, remote working, social distancing, and more. While safety is important, we remind you to enjoy yourself and have fun!
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