Page 42 - Occupational Health & Safety, June 2019

NATIONAL SAFETY MONTH
■ Dispose of malfunctioning fire- works in a bucket of water.
■ Soak unused fireworks in water for a few hours.
■ Keep water or a fire extinguisher nearby while using fireworks.
■ Do not pick up a lit firework.
■ Do not throw or use fireworks near vegetation.
Ultraviolet Rays
Ultraviolet radiation from the sun can pose a severe risk to all and should not be taken lightly. It can cause premature aging of the
skin, cataracts, and skin cancer, and it can suppress the body’s immune system.
EPA reports the following sobering sta- tistics about melanoma, the most danger- ous form of skin cancer:
■ It is one of the most common can- cers among those ages 15-29.
■ It accounts for more than 75 percent of skin cancer deaths.
■ One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.
■ One person dies from skin cancer every hour.
Non-melanoma skin cancers also can
spread and cause serious health problems. The two types are basal and squamous cell carcinomas. According to EPA, basal may appear as small, fleshy bumps or nodules on the head and neck, but it can occur on other skin areas. Squamous, on the other hand, may appear as nodules or as red, scaly patches that can develop into large masses.
To combat skin cancer and other health issues, these suggestions from OSHA can help everyone, whether they are working or playing in the sun:
■ Wear tightly-woven clothing that blocks out light.
■ Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 15, as it blocks 93 percent of UV rays. You want to block both UVA and UVB rays to guard against skin cancer. Be sure to follow application directions on the container.
■ Wear a wide-brim hat to protect your neck, ears, eyes, forehead, nose, and scalp.
■ Wear UV-absorbent shades. Sun- glasses should block 100 percent of UVA and UVB radiation.
■ Limit your exposure to the sun be- tween 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., as that is when UV rays are most intense.
Columbia Southern University Adjunct Professor Ralph Blessing has more than 27 years of occupational safety and health experience encompassing general industry, construction, training, and public speak- ing. He became certified as an afloat safety manager and received his Safety Manage- ment Certificate from the Naval Safety Center during his tour of duty in the U.S. Navy. Blessing holds a master’s degree in oc- cupational safety and health.
REFERENCES
National Safety Council:
https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/ tools-resources/seasonal-safety/summer
https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/ tools-resources/seasonal-safety/drowning
https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/tools- resources/seasonal-safety/summer/fireworks
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
https://www.cdc.gov/zika/reporting/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/westnile/index.html https://www.mosquito.org/page/control
https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/ By-topic/
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