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Daylighting And Human Performance
’Daylighting and Human Performance’ was published by the Heschong Mahone Group. It focused on the importance of daylighting in schools, via...
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Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Summer is here and that means re-emphasising the need for the public to work and play safely in the sun.
A national campaign, National Sun Awareness Week ran earlier this month (1-7 May). Devised by the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD), this year’s ‘two-pronged’ programme focussed on an essential combination of prevention and detection advice.
Building sites, whether they are new build or refurb, offer few areas of refuge from weather extremes. Those working on roofs or windows will know that sub-zero or baking temperatures providing an additional peril to the work-at-height risk.
Think protection
With a greater understanding of the potential harms associated with the sun’s UV rays, workers should start to consider which attire will offer them the best protection during the summer months.
As an example of why installers should take good care when working outside between May and September is a British Journal of Cancer report that found construction workers account for 44% of occupational skin cancer diagnosis and 42% of occupational skin cancer deaths each year. This equates to 21 deaths and 101 diagnoses.
Avoid the burn
UV rays are not discriminatory in the threat they pose to people not prepared for their powerful reach. Everyone is affected by damage to the skin from the sun. In 2022, for example, 35% of people in the UK were burnt at least once, with 28% of those being burnt more than three times during the year. And the unfortunate fact is, the more frequent the burn, the more likely a person is to develop melanoma skin cancer. Even one blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person’s chance of developing melanoma later in life.
Furthermore, the sun doesn’t need to be visible to be damaging. Up to 80% of its harmful UV rays can pierce the clouds, so even if you’re not basking in an undiluted solar blaze, you are not immune to being burnt.
Comfort
Whilst site workers should do their best to cover-up when the sun is out and the heat is on, it shouldn’t come at a cost to their comfort. Manual labour is intensive, physically demanding business. Therefore, a number of strategic, sartorial choices are important to remaining protected without overheating. These include:
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Accessorise protective headgear with a cloth or a longer piece of material to shield ears and neck area.
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Wear shades or tinted glasses that offer UVB and UVA protection to counteract the sun’s potentially damaging glare.
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Choose long-sleeved tops and bottoms made from closely-knit materials and breathable fabrics in darker colours.
Sunscreen
In terms of additional guidance, site workers should apply sunscreen offering a minimum of SP15 protection to areas of exposed skin every two hours. In order to maintain hydration levels, a filled water bottle should always be to hand, particularly those toiling in isolated locations. And at risk of stating the obvious, on days that simmer rather than cause a shiver, al fresco operatives should ensure lunch and tea break times are taken in the shade.
Light and dark
Despite the risks, it’s important to retain a sense of proportion. The sun is an extremely good source of natural vitamin D; it literally lights up our lives and is as good for our health and wellbeing as any medical supplement on the market. But too much of anything can be detrimental. Therefore, whilst some of us dream of a blazing summer, construction workers more than most need to remain mindful of the sun’s darker side.
Picture: Gradient is a single-layer tapered roof insulation systems manufactured in the UK.
Article written by Cathryn Ellis
25th May 2023