SUMMER SAFETY
INJURY PREVENTION
Gear Up for Summer
First Aid Kit – place a kit in your
vehicle, home, camping and hiking
equipment. Check and restock
annually. Stock with antihistamine.
Play Safety gear – helmets, knee pads,
elbow pads, wrist guards, and water
bottle/camelback.
Water Safety – keep flotation devices
readily available and never leave children
alone around any water.
Footwear – wear proper footwear for
activity. Do not mow grass in sandals.
Sunscreen and Bug Repellant – purchase
new sunscreen for the new season. Follow
directions and reapply often.
Summer Safety TIPS
Learn Child First Aid and CPR
Be prepared. Know how to call for help, including
poison control. The national toll-free line for
poison control is 1-800-222-1222.
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/firstaid.html
Skin Cancer and Aging Prevention
You are probably in the habit of packing
sunscreen for a day at the beach or pool. But the
sun is up there 365 days a year, and you need
protection much of that time to reduce your
lifetime sun-exposure total. Practice these sunprotection basics all year round to give your skin
the best chance of long-term health:
1. Use a sunscreen of
SPF 15 or higher
whenever you spend
time outdoors.
 This applies to all outdoor activities:
athletics, shopping, picnicking, walking or
jogging, gardening, even waiting for a bus.
 Choose a sunscreen with ingredients that
block both UVB and UVA rays.
 Apply liberally and evenly to all
exposed skin. The average adult in a
bathing suit should use approximately one
ounce of sunscreen per application. Not
using enough will effectively reduce the
product's SPF and the protection you get.
 Be sure to cover often-missed spots:
lips, ears, around eyes, neck, scalp if hair
is thinning, hands, and feet.
 Reapply at least every 2 hours, more
often if some of the product may have
been removed while swimming, sweating,
or towel-drying.
 Choose a product that suits your skin
and your activity. Sunscreens are
available in lotion, gel, spray, cream, and
stick forms. Some are labeled as water
resistant, sweat proof, or especially for
sports; as fragrance-free, hypoallergenic,
or especially for sensitive skin or children.
2. Cover up.
 Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Tightly woven fabrics and dark colors,
such as deep blue and black, or bright
colors, such as orange and red, offer more
protection. If you can see light through a
fabric, UV rays can get through too. Water
makes fabrics more translucent, so do not
rely on a wet T-shirt.
 A broad-brimmed hat goes a long way
toward preventing skin cancer in oftenexposed areas like the neck, ears, scalp,
and face. Opt for a 3-4 inch brim that
extends all around the hat. Baseball caps
and visors shade the face but leave neck,
lower face, and ears exposed.
 UV-blocking sunglasses with wraparound
or large frames protect your eyelids and
the sensitive skin around your eyes,
common sites for skin cancer and suninduced aging. Sunglasses also help
reduce the risk of cataracts later in life.
3. Seek the shade. Be aware, however,
that sunlight bouncing off reflective surfaces
can reach you even beneath an umbrella or
a tree.
4. Never seek a tan. There is no such
thing as a healthy tan. A tan is the skin's
response to the sun's damaging rays.
5. Protect your children and teach
them sun safety at an early age.
Because skin damage occurs with each
unprotected exposure and accumulates over
the course of a lifetime, sun safety for
children should be a priority.
Injury Prevention Materials Available; RTD Kiosks, RTD intranet, www.rtd-denver.com/wellness,
supervisors, or wellness staff.
Wellness Staff: Jim Jacobsen x3148, DeAnna Mathis x3145
SUMMER SAFETY
INJURY PREVENTION
Adverse Effects of Heat
Symptoms (Call 911)
 Heat Exhaustion -- Profuse sweating with
pale, moist, and cool skin; weakness; loss
of appetite; dizziness. May also have heat
cramps, nausea, urge to defecate, chills,
rapid breathing, tingling of the hands or
feet, and confusion.
 Heat Stroke -- Headache, dizziness,
stomach pains, confusion, weakness, and
sudden loss of consciousness, and may
have seizures; skin is hot and may be dry;
pulse and respiration are rapid and weak.
Heat stroke is a medical emergency.
Basic Heat Injury Prevention
 When possible, provide cooled water
(50oF to 60oF) to enhance its taste and
increase voluntary water consumption.
 Drink one (1) quart of water in the
morning, at each meal, and before and
during hard or strenuous work.
 Take frequent small drinks of water since
they are more effective than drinking a
large amount of water all at once. Larger
individuals need more water.
 The use of salt tablets for replacement of
salt lost through sweating is not
recommended.
 Use sports replacement fluids after 90
minutes of continuous activity.
 When possible, schedule heavy workloads
for the cooler hours of the day such as
early morning or late evening.
 Give frequent rest periods. Lower the work
rate and workloads as the heat condition
increases. This includes play time too!
 When possible, workloads and/or duration
of physical exertion should be less during
the first days of exposure to heat, then
they should gradually increase to allow
acclimatization.
 Avoid alcohol or caffeinated beverages to
quench thirst. They act as diuretics and
remove water from your body.
 Never leave a child or animal in your
car alone.
Food Safety
It seems so basic, but not everyone does it.
Wash hands well and often with soap and
water, especially after using the bathroom
and before cooking or eating. Also wash
surfaces when cooking, keep raw food
separate from cooked food, marinate food in
the refrigerator, cook food thoroughly, and
refrigerate or freeze food promptly. The FDA
suggests never leaving food out for more
than one hour when the temperature is
above 90 F. Any other time, don't leave food
out for more than two hours. "Keep hot food
hot and cold food cold," Clark adds. "Wash
off fruits and vegetables with cool running
water." Also, scrub fruits with rough surfaces
like cantaloupe with a soft brush.
When you are packing
food for a picnic, place
cold food in a cooler with
plenty of ice or
commercial freezing gels. Cold food should
be held at or below 40 F and the cooler
should be stored in shade. Hot food should
be wrapped well, placed in an insulated
container, and kept at or above 140 F.
Those hit by a food borne illness must stay
hydrated so they could try chewing on ice
chips or sipping clear fluid after vomiting has
stopped. In the next day or so, eat only light
foods such as bananas, rice, applesauce,
toast, crackers, and soup. Seek emergency
treatment if severe pain accompanies the
illness, if vomiting doesn't stop in a
couple of hours, or if bloody diarrhea is
experienced.
Barbecue Safety
 When using barbecue grills on decks or
patios, be sure to leave sufficient space
from siding and eaves.
 Always supervise a barbecue grill when in
use. Keep children and pets far away from
grills.
 With charcoal grills, only use charcoal
starter fluids designed for barbecue grills
and do not add fluid after coals have been
lit.
 With gas grills, be sure that the hose
connection is tight and check hoses
carefully for leaks. Applying soapy water
to the hoses will easily and safely reveal
any leaks.
 Always follow the manufacturer's
instructions and have the grill repaired by
a professional, if necessary.
Injury Prevention Materials Available; RTD Kiosks, RTD intranet, www.rtd-denver.com/wellness,
supervisors, or wellness staff.
Wellness Staff: Jim Jacobsen x3148, DeAnna Mathis x3145
SUMMER SAFETY
INJURY PREVENTION
Injury Prevention Materials Available; RTD Kiosks, RTD intranet, www.rtd-denver.com/wellness,
supervisors, or wellness staff.
Wellness Staff: Jim Jacobsen x3148, DeAnna Mathis x3145