24 January 2023
Question: Why to stay safe this summer
Weather in summer can be unpredictable and incredibly hot, bringing about extra risks when working outdoors in agriculture. Two key safety issues to consider when outdoors are sun exposure, which can lead to skin cancer, and heat exhaustion.
When unprotected skin is exposed to UV radiation, the structure and behaviour of the cells can change. As the third most common cancer in Australia, melanoma affects more than 13,000 Australians every year. Outdoor workers receive up to 10 times more UV radiation exposure than indoor workers, significantly increasing their risk of developing skin cancer, including melanoma.
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Heath exhaustion is when your body can't cool itself and you absorb more heat from your environment than you can get rid of, through sweating or other cooling mechanisms. Symptoms of heat illness include headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, irritability, thirst, cramps, heavy sweating, impaired judgement, loss of concentration, clumsiness, collapse, cold and clammy skin. It is important you don't ignore these signs and if you notice them in your workers, seek immediate medical attention.
To learn more on how to stay safe this summer, see our blog at Safe Ag Systems.
Question: How to stay safe this summer
Here are our tips and tricks to keep you safe from the sun this summer! To help you know what's normal on your skin and what's not, use the SunSmart ABCD guide when checking your skin:
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Some things to consider to reduce the risk of sun exposure, heat stress and keep you cool include:
To learn more on how to stay safe this summer, see our blog at Safe Ag Systems.