With sunny days becoming more frequent at this time of year, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) is urging farmers to stay safe when working in the sun.
The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) states “even if your skin is not fair and freckled, you should still be particularly careful while you are working out of doors in the summer in the three or four hours around midday. The sun is most intense at these times.”
When working outdoors during the summer months, please follow this advice:
- Try to avoid the mild reddening which is a sign of skin damage as well as being an early sign of burning.
- Take your breaks in the shade if you can – this will reduce your risk of harming your skin and also help to keep you cool.
- Don’t be complacent; get to know your skin’s most vulnerable areas (for example back of neck, head) and keep them covered.
- Don’t try to get a tan – it’s not a healthy sign. It might look good, but it indicates that the skin has already been damaged.
- Wear sun cream with a protection factor (SPF) rating of 15 or more as it protects against UVA and UVB.
For more information on how to stay safe in the sun while working, download HSENI’s booklet which also has advice on how to check your skin. It can be found here.
