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July
2004 Safety Tip
SAFETY
never takes a Vacation!
July
is vacation time - a time to relax and have fun with family and
friends, but remember to bring "Safety" along to help prevent injuries!
With
Summer comes the Sun - bright and hot, and with lots of ultraviolet
(UV) radiation. While that sunlight may feel good and give you a
nice tan, it can also be harmful. Recently, the World Health Organization
(WHO), the United Nations Environment Programme, and other organizations
developed a new set of UV guidelines to help people protect themselves
from UV radiation which is the cause of the most common form of
cancer - skin cancer. The new Global UV Index, which has now been
adopted by the USEPA
and the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) National Weather
Service (NWS), standardizes the reporting of UV levels in the
United States.
As
noted in the EPA's
May 26, 2004, news release, "The UV Index is a measure of the
amount of skin-damaging UV radiation reaching the earth's surface.
Currently, UV Index forecasts issued by the National Weather Service
provide information about UV intensity during the solar noon hour
(1:00 p.m. daylight saving time) of the following day. The UV Index
informs people when rays will be strongest so that they can take
action to protect themselves. Overexposure to UV radiation from
the sun is a preventable contributor to serious health effects,
particularly skin cancer. Incidence of malignant melanoma, the deadliest
form of skin cancer, has more than doubled in the United States
in the last thirty years."
To
find out what the UV Index is today, please click on the following
image: 
And
please pay attention to the heat - especially with young children
and pets being left outside, or worse yet, in the car while you
run into a store for an errand. Here in the desert southwest, this
can be deadly. For more information please refer to the June
2003 safety tip regarding heat stress.
It applies to everyone during the summer!
FIREWORKS
and FIRES
July
4th brings fireworks as a representation of America's fight for
independence. However, fireworks are illegal in Arizona. Check your
local newspapers for times and locations of public displays. Additionally,
with the State experiencing a serious drought and many areas extremely
dry, you should also avoid purchasing and using them.
If
you must use fireworks, please remember the following:
- Never
re-light a "dud" firework, wait 15 to 20 minutes and
then soak it in a bucket of water
- Never
give fireworks to small children
- Store
fireworks in a cool dry place
- Dispose
of fireworks properly by soaking them in water and then disposing
them in the trash
- Never
throw or point fireworks at other people
- Never
carry fireworks in your pocket
- Never
shoot fireworks in metal or glass containers
- The
shooter should always wear eye protection and never have any part
of the body over the firework
OHSA's
PYROTECHNICS
PAGE has additional information and links.
Please
remember that this summer, as with the past several summers, many
areas where the public recreates, the conditions are very dry, reflecting
the current drought. 2004's early fire season demonstrates these
extremely dry conditions. Here in Maricopa County, the Parks and
Recreation Department, has again closed
the County parks (please see their news release dated May 12, 2004)
to fires until these hazardous dry conditions have improved. Please
be careful!
For
fire information regarding some of the National Forests north of
the Phoenix metropolitan area, please click on one of the following
links:
Have
a great, safe summer!
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