Stay Safe This Summer with HASCS

Summer Safety Tips

Be Smart in the sun

Our skin is a barrier that serves as the first line of defence. Keep your skin protected! Remember to wear Sunscreen and reapply every 2 hours to protect yourself from UV rays.

We want nothing more than for you to make the most of this gorgeous sun in the UK! But do make sure that when outside you try to stay in the shade to keep your body temperature low as well as wearing protective and light clothing to avoid direct heat to reduce the chances of heat stroke.

Even indoors we have to take precautions! Close windows and curtains during the day and open them when the temperature has dropped later on in the day. You can use electric fans to keep a nice flow of cool air going, but do not aim the fan directly at your body, use the oscillation setting to keep the air moving around the room.

Stay cool and hydrated!

With the temperatures looking to reach 40 degrees Celsius in some areas in the UK this year, there is an increased risk of dehydration. Double check that you have plenty of cold water with you to avoid dehydration during the day.

Cold food with high water content like fruits and salads are great way to keep your body temperature down. Unfortunately when the weather is hot, bacteria also quickly multiplies! Keep your food away from the sun for long periods of time and store them in the fridge if available.

Don’t forget your pets!

Try to keep your pets out of the sun completely, and ensure they have enough water.

With the sun at it’s highest between 11am-3pm it’s best to plan your walks ahead of time to make sure their little paws don’t get burned on the concrete ground and they don’t get too dehydrated either.

Never leave your pets in a hot car even for a short time as temperatures rise fairly quick and can be fatal to animals!

References:

Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014
Heatwave plan for England 2020– supporting vulnerable people before and during a
heatwave – advice for health and social care professionals accessed via

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_ data/file/429627/Heatwave-Advice_for_Health_Professionals.pdf

Heatwave plan for England 2019- Protecting health and reducing harm from severe heat and
heatwaves accessed via

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_ data/file/888668/Heatwave_plan_for_England_2020.pdf

Public Health England 2020 – Beat the Heat Poster. Coping with heat and COVID-19 accessed via

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_ data/file/888247/Beat_the_Heat_2020.pdf

Public Health England 2020- Beat the Heat Guidance accessed via

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_ data/file/888252/Beat-the-Heat_Leaflet_Coping_with_heat_and_COVID-19.pdf

How to keep pets cool in hot weather accessed via

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/44630436