Everyone loves summer, right?! It’s a time to get outside, relax and spend time taking part in all sorts of adventures.
The summer season can even come with some awesome health benefits. Largely due to the weather, people are much more active in the summer than they are in the colder months of the year. People are walking, biking, running and even doing more leisurely activities like gardening.
So how can there be health hazards associated with this usually-healthy season? The truth is every season comes with unique challenges. The best way to avoid the health hazards of any given season is to be aware that they exist.
If you can take note of where potential health hazards might sneak up on you, and educate your employees on that same thing, your entire workforce will be much more prepared to stay healthy all summer long.
Dehydration
Like we mentioned before, many people are much more active in the summer. In many parts of the country, summer is also a season of brutal heat. When you’re moving around more, and you’re dealing with extreme heat, your body needs more water.
It’s a simple problem with a simple solution. You’re using more water as you move around and as you sweat. So you need to drink more water to replenish. Do yourself a favor and stay extra hydrated all summer long.
Heat
The heat doesn’t just mean you’re more likely to get dehydrated. Extreme heat can be a danger in and of itself. You and your employees need to be on the lookout for symptoms of heat exhaustion.
With this type of health hazard, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. You might be tempted to think you’re simply feeling warm, and you’ll cool down when you head inside to the A/C. Without being addressed, though, heat exhaustion can quickly become life-threatening. So take your body’s warning signs seriously and be conscious of how much time and exertion you’re spending in the extreme heat.
Sunburn
Sunburn can cause skin cancer. Hopefully you’ve learned that by now. It might be tempting to soak up some rays and get that nice summer glow. There’s a fine line, however, between a summer glow and blistering sun burn.
Be sure you and your employees are prepared to stay sun-safe this summer. You can bring this issue to the top of your employees’ minds by providing things like DermaView testing or skin cancer education. You might even consider providing some sunscreen to your employees—just to let them know you’re serious about sun safety.
Stress and Burnout
It might seem like summer should be the stress-free season of relaxation. Unfortunately, that mindset can actually cause a lot of stress when it comes to the workload.
Many employees might be focused on the busy-ness happening outside the office. That can lead to procrastination and work pileups. Balancing work and life in the busy summer season can be a huge stressor for you and your employees.
Alcohol
Alcohol abuse can be a health hazard any time of year. In the summer, though, that is heightened because of the activities people do while they’re drinking. With beautiful weather and holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day, many people spend weekends hanging out at lakes and beaches.
It’s there where alcohol use and abuse can become a potentially dangerous situation. You can’t babysit your employees outside of the office, but be sure to encourage them to make good decisions when it comes to the summer parties they attend.
Poor Nutrition
With the “on-the-go” nature of summer, it can be easy to let nutritional goals fly out the window. It’s more appealing to go enjoy dinner, drinks or appetizers with friends and family than it is to stay home and meal prep.
The nice thing about summer is that the opposite is also true. With the abundance of gardens and farmer’s markets, you can use your wellness program to push back against the poor nutritional habits that can sneak up on employees.
Carelessness
Summer is a season of distraction for most people. Whether they’re thinking about upcoming vacations, their kids’ sports camps or even just getting outside to enjoy the sun, it’s easy for employees to lose focus at work—and in all aspects of their lives really.
That means the potential for accidents is increased during the summer season. People aren’t as focused on the small details, and can get caught going through the motions and making careless—and potentially harmful—mistakes.
There’s not a lot you can do to completely prevent summer health hazards. The best thing you can do for your employees during this summer season is to help them prepare to overcome these hazards.
That might mean using your wellness program to educate employees. It could also mean using your program to offer alternatives or even boost excitement about the many healthy habits that can arise during the summer season.
How do you use your wellness program differently in the summer?
