By By Greg Chadwick, Air Force Materiel Command Health & Wellness Team / Published July 07, 2020
Being aware of summer hazards can make avoiding them easier and adds to summer fun, whether working or playing outside.
Summer is a great time to be outside and enjoy the weather. Awareness of summer health hazards can help you prevent potential injuries and discomfort. Here’s how you can protect yourself and others, and enjoy the summer fun.
Lawn Mower Injuries - Before mowing, remove debris from the lawn such as rocks, sticks, or other potential flying object hazards.
Food Poisoning - Hot temperatures in the summer allow bacteria to develop faster in food with no refrigeration. Foods or food products with dairy, eggs, mayonnaise or meat can become hosts to the types of bacteria that can lead to food poisoning. To prevent food poisoning, follow the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s advice to:
Sun Damage – Sun protection is an important precaution to guard against skin cancer and reducing signs of aging. To help protect your skin and eyes from the damaging effects of UV rays:
Insect Bites - Mosquito bites can be annoying, but they can also cause serious viral diseases, such as West Nile, Zika, Chikungunya and Dengue. To protect yourself from mosquito bites:
Heat Illness & Dehydration - Anyone exposed to high temperatures for a sustained period of time is at risk for heat-related illness and dehydration. Prevention is the best way to avoid heat-related illness. When it is hot outside, remember to:
Poison Ivy - Contains the plant oil urushiol, which can cause severe skin rash when any part of the leaves, stem or root is touched. Learn how to identify poison ivy in order to avoid exposure.
For more information on summer health hazards, visit USAFwellness.com or contact your local Civilian Health Promotion Services team. Comprehensive information on summer health hazards can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov.