Safety Tips for Summer: A Comprehensive Guide

Summer comes with new life and energy; it’s like the weather change motivates all and sundry to come out and indulge in social activities after a long cold season.

Everyone gathers to enjoy the best of outdoor events, some of which pose injury and health risks. Add to the masses, extreme temperatures, and the fact kids are around, and you certainly have several emergencies to deal with.

This post discusses some must-know safety tips for summer to prepare your family for a safe season.

Preparing for Injury Risks During Summer

 

Yes, summer is high-risk! But these perceived dangers shouldn’t deny you the pleasure of rocking your next summer. Mastering some crucial safety tips for summer can safeguard your loved ones from potential injuries and illnesses.

It’s no wonder savvy homeowners check their risk profiles based on previous experiences. This approach prepares the best for summer emergencies.

In plain English, always list all the potential risks/injuries and prepare to administer first aid if an emergency occurs. The same applies if you plan to spend your summer away from home or across the border.

Still, don’t worry if you can’t profile your own risks. This post will discuss the most common dangers during summer, tips to stay safe, and the importance of CPR and first aid training.

Statistics: How Common Are Summer Emergencies & Injuries?

Here are some statistics that show how summer accidents happen, according to the National Safety Council:

  •  21 percent of all injuries occur over the summer months (May through August). That’s nearly double the rate of all other times of year combined!
  • The most common reason for going to the emergency room during the summer months is because of an unintentional injury (like tripping and falling). Other top reasons include burns and insect bites/stings.
  • Children under age 15 account for more than half of all emergency room visits due to unintentional injuries during summer months, compared with just one-third during non-summer months (all ages).
  • If you’re having fun in the sun this summer, there’s a chance you’ll end up with a minor injury such as a burn or insect bite. You might even have to visit an emergency room for stitches or other treatment.
  • The most common cause of death from heat stroke is cardiovascular collapse due to sudden dehydration.

Lastly, summer injuries occur most often between June and August, and they are more common among boys than girls. The CDC notes that nearly half of all playground injuries occur at home.

What Increases Injury & Disease Risks During Summer?

Summer is a time for fun in the sun, but it’s also a period of increased risk for injury. There are more activities, more people and more opportunities for accidents.

Below are the most common reasons why summer is a risky season:

  • Plenty of outdoor activities could lead to injuries and emergencies like cuts, sprains, burns, drowning, fainting, etc.
  • Traveling for vacation also exposes you to a new set of risks depending on your destination.
  • High temperatures due to the summer sun can cause sunburn, heat exhaustion, etc.
  • The seasonal insects we encounter during summer can cause dangerous bites.

“Summer is a great time to go on vacation and enjoy the outdoors, but it’s crucial to take some simple safety precautions, “ warns Anne Schuchat, CDC Principal Deputy Director.

“From info about vacation vaccines to insect bite prevention, the Center for Disease Control provides plenty of resources to help you and your companions stay safe and healthy.”

Safety Tips for Summer: Common Emergencies and Prevention Strategies

Summer injuries can threaten to ruin your fun and pose serious health risks. As you prepare to enjoy the warm season, remember to consider the risks and develop preventative measures against them.

Some common emergencies include:

  • Swimming pool injuries and drowning
  • Heat-related conditions
  • Insect bites
  • Harmful plants
  • Risks posed by traveling overseas
  • Worker burnout and injury
  • Child-related summer injuries

Discover more about the risks and safety tips for summer:

  1. Swimming/Pool Safety

Swimming pools are an ideal place for families to gather during long summer days, but they also pose their own set of risks.Even those who don’t love swimming savor the comfort of relaxing in chilly waters along with their loved ones. The activity is so popular that the CDC organizes a Healthy & Safe Swimming Week each summer to remind people of the potential dangers of open water bodies.

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, there were more than 11,000 child drowning incidents in 2015, with 545 deaths from drowning.

Swimming safety is a collaborative role between:

  • Parents or guardians
  • Public health officials
  • Beach staff, and
  • Homeowners with pools

Common swimming pool dangers

Water bodies can pose safety risks such as:

  • Slips and falls caused by wet slippery floors.
  • Drowning. It happens when a person submerges in water and loses consciousness.

Other injuries from swimming pools include:

  • chemical burns from chlorine
  •  drownings related to diving equipment failures.
  • In addition, children who spend too much time in a chlorinated pool can develop asthma symptoms or other respiratory problems later in life.

It’s crucial to protect young ones from emergencies like drowning as such cases may be fatal. Also, you want to understand the chemistry of pool chemicals, or hire someone who does, to reduce the likelihood of pool chemical accidents.

Lastly, parents should consider CPR and first aid training to learn the emergency response procedure for drowning.

  1. Heat-related Conditions

Did you know heat causes more than 600 fatalities in the US every year?

When preparing for summer, think of conditions like heat stress, heatstroke, etc., and how to care for the entire family.

However, these high-risk groups may need more attention:

  • Kids under 4 years
  • Workers operating in scorching environments
  • Grownups over 65
  • People with chronic medical conditions

Those without a home air conditioner are also at risk.

  1. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke 

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are serious conditions that can happen when the body overheats. Heat exhaustion causes symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, fatigue, muscle cramps and headaches. If left untreated it can lead to heat stroke which can cause seizures, confusion or even death.

During summer, don’t leave children alone in a parked car even for a few minutes, even if windows are open and air conditioning is on. In just 10 minutes on a 78 degree day, temperatures inside a car can reach 100 degrees.

And on a 90-degree day, it takes only 15 minutes for temperatures inside a car to reach 102 degrees — which can cause heat exhaustion or heat stroke in young children and pets!

  1. Hyperthermia

Hyperthermia is another common condition that affects millions of people each year. Hyperthermia occurs when your body becomes too hot due to elevated body temperature or extreme physical activity in high temperatures.

Symptoms include red skin and excessive sweating but these may not be noticeable in children who are often more sensitive to high temperatures than adults due to their smaller size and higher surface area-to-weight ratio.

  1. Sunburns

Sunburns are another common heat-related problem. Sunburns are another danger during the summer months.

They occur when ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun damages the top layer of skin cells, causing inflammation in the lower layers where collagen exists — which results in redness and pain once it heals.

Failure to protect your skin from the sun’s scorching UV rays can cause sunburn in just 15 minutes, but symptoms may show 12 hours later.

Preventing sunburns

Below are some sunburn prevention tips by the Center for Disease Control:

  • Avoid sun rays when the sun is hottest, from 10 a.m to 4 p.m
  • If you must be outside, wear lightweight, light-coloured clothing and a wide-brimmed hat to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays.
  • Wear sunscreen. When going outdoors, wear sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreen should also have an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15 — even in cloudy conditions. If you’re spending time at the beach or pool, reapply every two hours to keep your skin protected from damage by UV rays.
  • Wear wide-brimmed hats that shade your face and neck when outdoors during the middle part of the day.
  • Limit exercise during the hottest part of the day. If you have to work outdoors, schedule physical labor for the coolest times of day; try to avoid it during midafternoon hours.

Lastly, you can wear sunglasses, summer hats, and light long-sleeved clothing to protect your skin from sunlight.

Safety Tips for Heat-Related Conditions

This summer, keep your family safe from heat-related illnesses and injury. Here are some tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help you stay cool and healthy this summer:

  • Stay cool by wearing summer clothing
  • Drink plenty of water. Your body needs water to cool down and avoid dehydration. Avoid drinks with caffeine or alcohol because they can increase dehydration.
  • Stay in the shade or air conditioning whenever possible.
  • Take rest breaks when doing heavy work
  • Stay informed; pay attention to the weather forecast
  • Employers must provide proper ventilation and air conditioning to prevent burnout and heat stress.
  • Get plenty of sleep. During the summer, there is often less light in the evening, which can make it harder to fall asleep. If you have trouble sleeping during the summer months, try taking a cool shower or bath before bedtime.

Lastly, learn how to recognize the signs of heat-related illnesses. For instance, heat exhaustion occurs when your body absorbs more heat than it can handle and loses fluids through sweating or vomiting and diarrhea.

  1. Traveling overseas

As you plan your overseas trip, remember to go through your destination’s risk profile and implement safety considerations. Conditions like insect diseases, common colds, water hygiene, etc., may vary from whatever you encounter every day, increasing the risk of sickness and disease.

Safety tips when traveling across the border

Follow these tips to stay safe when traveling overseas:

  • Remember to get vaccinated from immunizable conditions 5 weeks before your trip. This will get your immune system ready by the time you touch down.
  • Also, check out these overseas travel guidelines from CDC before you go abroad next summer. The guide contains data about malaria and measles safety.
  • Malaria is a common disease in most countries. Every year, nearly 1700 US travelers who go overseas are diagnosed with the condition. Regions like South America, Africa, and the Caribbean record many cases of malaria. Before leaving for overseas, get the latest antimalarial drugs to reduce the likelihood of contracting the disease.

Lastly, some of the destinations you’d like to visit suffer measles outbreaks. Travellers going to high-risk countries like England, Brazil, Israel, Japan, France, etc., should get the measles vaccine before travelling.

  1. Worker Burnout and Injury

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH), young employees (ages 15-24) are at a greater danger of workplace injuries than grownups.

The sweltering summer weather worsens the working conditions by causing staff burnout and encouraging potential injury. NIOSH has partnered with the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety on a campaign dubbed My SafeSummer Job to counter these problems.

This campaign seeks to raise awareness on work-related dangers and educate employees, leaders, and organizations on occupational safety during summer.

Safety tips for summer: preventing burnout 

Here are some ways to prevent burnout:

  • Encourage workers to take rest breaks in between jobs. Remember, burnout can lead to a lack of concentration and encourage other occupational injuries.
  • Schedule employees to work in shifts. This will help reduce the likelihood of burnout.
  • Ventilate the workplace and avoid squeezed or crowded spaces to allow for air circulation.
  • Provide plenty of drinking water and fluids at the workplace
  • Provide shade or discourage staff from working under the direct heat of the sun.

Lastly, you can educate workers on the dangers of burnout and stress the importance of taking a breather while at work.

  1. Insect Safety

Summer insects can bite family members and ruin your camping sessions. Insects are attracted to heat and sweat, which explains why they are more likely to bite children during the summer months.

Most insect bites and stings can be treated at home. However, some may require medical attention.

Insect safety tips for summer

Here are some tips to protect your family:

  • Always protect your loved ones from such accidents by applying insect repellents. If possible, consider the eco-friendly types approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.
  • Apply these creams only on the skin surface or clothing– do not use them on open wounds or burns. Also, double-check the manufacturer’s instructions before using repellents on a kid.
  • Stay indoors when possible. This reduces the chance of being bitten or stung by insects outdoors.
  • Cover exposed skin with long-sleeved shirts, pants, socks and shoes when outside in wooded areas or grassy areas where ticks can live. If you have small children who cannot wear long sleeves, consider using insect repellents containing permethrin on their clothing instead of DEET on their skin.
  • Do not leave food uncovered outside because it attracts ants and other insects that may bite if they come into contact with food residue on your hands or food preparation surfaces such as countertops or tables.
  • Consider using screens on doors and windows to keep mosquitoes out

Lastly, always keep repellents and chemical bottles out of your child’s reach as this could cause another emergency altogether, i.e., if the child ingests it.

  1. Wild plants (poison ivy, oak and sumac)

These plants are found throughout the U.S., especially in wooded areas. To avoid contact with poison ivy, oak or sumac, stay on trails when hiking or biking through forests during summer months; wear long pants and long sleeves; and wash your hands after touching any plant parts (including dead leaves).

If you think you’ve come into contact with poison ivy, oak or sumac:

  • wash yourself thoroughly with soap and water right away;
  • avoid scratching your skin;
  • apply calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream to affected areas every two hours until symptoms subside.

If itching persists more than 72 hours after exposure to these plants, seek medical attention immediately because this may indicate an allergy to urushiol (the oil found in these plants).

  1. Child Safety During Summer

Kids engage in many physical activities during summer, from skating to riding bikes and soccer. Therefore, parents must prepare to deal with all types of emergencies, including:

  • Sprains and strains
  • Fallen teeth
  • Head injuries
  • Cuts
  • Burns
  • Broken limbs

Child safety tips for summer

Some healthy tips to keep kids safe include:

  • Buy protective gear like helmet and knee guards when skating and riding bicycles
  • Warn kids about injury risks and discuss the importance of staying safe at the playground.
  • Don’t leave children alone in a parked car even for a few minutes, even if windows are open and air conditioning is on. In just 10 minutes on a 78-degree day, temperatures inside a car can reach 100 degrees causing heat exhaustion in kids.
  • Consider travel safety. Buy a kid’s car seat for your daughter or son and buckle them properly when taking long drives. Using seat belts reduces fatal injuries by an impressive 80 percent, according to the CDC.
  • Install fences around your pool to prevent drowning

Lastly, prepare a fully equipped CPR and first aid kit to respond to all emergencies in a reasonable time

How CPR & First Aid Training Improves Response to Summer Injuries

If you’re planning to spend time outdoors this summer, you should consider taking a CPR training course. If you live in a rural area or have small children at home, this is especially important because it can help you save lives.

Here are some reasons why first aid training is one of the most important safety tips for summer:

  1. CPR training can help save lives

CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is the first step in saving the life of someone who has stopped breathing or whose heart has stopped beating. When performed correctly, CPR can help a person’s blood flow and keep oxygen flowing to their brain and other organs.

It only takes about five minutes for someone who has stopped breathing to go into cardiac arrest and die.

CPR training teaches you how to perform chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in an emergency until professional medical help arrives.

  1. First aid trains you to provide immediate care

First Aid provides information on how to provide immediate care for someone who is injured or has a medical emergency until professional medical help arrives. These courses are taught by expert instructors and can be taken at your convenience — even online!

  1. CPR courses boost your confidence

If someone is injured on vacation or at the beach and needs CPR or first aid, it’s natural to feel nervous about offering help. But if you’ve been trained in CPR and first aid, you’ll feel much more confident about providing assistance — even if it’s your first time!

  1. Training prepares you for the unexpected

You’ll feel more prepared for unexpected situations when travelling with children or pets. It’s always good to know what resources are available at home in case of an emergency but what happens if your family is travelling somewhere new?

There may not be any emergency services nearby, which is why having some basic first aid knowledge can mean the difference between life and death in these situations!

Final Advice on Safety Tips for Summer

As hinted throughout the post, preparation is the key to a safe and sound summer. Planning for all sorts of risks and taking a preventative approach reduces the number of times you must visit an Emergency Room.

When preparing, remember to register for CPR and First Aid training. Enrolling in an emergency training course prepares you to handle most of the emergencies encountered during summer.

If you don’t have enough time to attend a physical course, register for online CPR certification on reputable platforms like the American Academy of CPR & First Aid. These websites allow you to attend classes remotely and give you the certification at the end of the course.