HEALTH, SAFETY & WELLBEING SAFE IN THE SUN
How can employers and employees alike manage the risks from an invisible hazard – UV exposure on site, asks Ben Stacey, Snickers Workwear Product Specialist.
Wear the right clothes Dressing right for the working environment you’re in is very important – not only for working efficiently, but also for UV protection in the summer.
The Institute of Occupational Safety and Health estimates that outdoor workers can be exposed to over 80% more UV radiation than indoor workers and, if the UV index reaches three or above, sun protection measures should be taken. It may come as a surprise to some that the UV index regularly exceeds this level during the summer months in the UK and, according to the Met Office, UV rays can be strong enough to cause sunburn here between April and September with 80% of UVA rays passing through cloud.
The link between skin cancer and sun exposure is now more widely understood and workers who regularly work outdoors are most definitely at increased risk from over-exposure to UV radiation. With one in three cancers diagnosed as a skin cancer, each episode of sunburn however small increases the risk of getting it. So why do some people who work outdoors in the UK not use sun protection cream and other sun protection measures – such as proper working clothes?
Hard work in hot and humid conditions can not only be uncomfortable, but hazardous. So, when the heat is on, it’s important that you take the necessary precautions to stay cool, dry, and well-covered. That’s where Snickers Workwear’s moisture-wicking, and UV-protective workwear can play an important part in your personal protection and wellbeing. When you’re choosing the right working clothes for a hard day’s work outside in the summer, there are three important factors to consider.
Fabric technology and UV protection For summer working, choose workwear that is designed to create a kind of climate control system for your body. Snickers Workwear does just that. Designed to help you stay cool, the summer collection has garments that provide UPV40+ protection to make getting the job done as comfortable and safe as possible. Breathable fabrics deliver better ventilation and dry faster once they’re wet from perspiration. And even though cotton is thought to be a lightweight fabric, its high absorbency makes it dry very slowly. Cotton garments drenched in sweat are uncomfortable.
Your body temperature In warm, sunny working conditions, you need clothes with exceptional breathability and ventilation to avoid heat stress. With that in mind, Snickers Workwear uses stretchable fabrics with 37.5 Fabric Technology. Patented particles in the fabric help your body maintain an ideal core temperature – a process of thermoregulation - by removing perspiration vapours before they can turn into liquid sweat. That means you can stay both cool and dry no matter how hot it gets.
Personal and environmental protection Sustainability is a key part of Snickers Workwear’s design and development philosophy. It’s not just functionality, practicality and the physical demands on the body when working hard which are key drivers in the brand’s product development, it’s the physical demands that product manufacturing places on the environment that matter too.
So, if you’re thinking about what’s most practical and beneficial to wear this summer and, if it’s performance and protection you need, check out the upgraded
34 | TOMORROW’S FM
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