Did You Know Protecting Workers from Solar UV is Your Responsibility?
Hazard management covers a wide range of risks and hazards and UV rays is one of them.
Did you know "where there is a risk to health and safety from sun exposure during work, a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must ensure that this risk is managed appropriately" - this is taken direct from the guide from WorkSafe.
Sun protection is vital for those at risk of exposure and that is why providing sun protection such as sunscreen, clothing and wide brimmed hats are a must-have for your team working outside.
To order your sunscreen with us all you have to do is simply click here, place your order and we'll have it underway.
A little known fact is that two out of three skin cancers occur on the head and neck. Shop sun smart clothing here
WorkSafe say protecting workers from solar UV "Must be minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable, by establishing effective control measures".
Effective control measures include:
- installing shade and/or covers for workers to work under
- having a sun protection policy and just as importantly ensuring all workers understand and follow process and procedure when it comes to sun protection
- providing PPE such as sunscreen, sun hats and other protective clothing and eyewear
- ensure workers understand how to use PPE correctly
Too many times PPE is not used correctly or workers aren't given the opportunity to understand the policies around health and safety. This is the responsibility of the business. Just having the correct gear is not enough.
We all should know by now that New Zealand can have high levels of UV radiation which can cause skin damage and eye damage.
Sunsmart advise that you should always use a broad-spectrum, water resistant, sunscreen of at least SPF30 (better still is SPF50). SPF simply stands for sun protection factor and combined with other forms of sun protection, including wearing wide brim hats will help protect against damaging sun burn.
Managing its use means it's highly effective. When the sun is high and you have workers outside do your checks like you would any other check to ensure they have followed the "slip, slop, slap' guide - slip into protective clothing, slop on some sunscreen (SPF50) and slap on a hat - a wide brimmed one!
It's really not that hard to see if workers are protecting themselves from the sun or not.
If you're in charge of your workplace health and safety Sunsmart have a wide range of resources you can download or order for free to drive home those key sun protection messages.
Here's a couple we found that we like because it simple but effective.
To order your sunscreen , sun hat, safety glasses with adequate protection against UV radiation and other PPE contact us and we'll help you take care of the workplace health and safety of your team. Contact us on 0800 509 809 or email office@totalfirstaid.co.nz
For more information and for helpful guides click on the following link: https://worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/work-related-health/protecting-workers-from-solar-uv-radiation
If you'd like to order Sunsmart posters, banners, e-newsletters, social media - the works! click here.