When a person is employed for a summer job, it is the Supervisor’s responsibility to make sure that that employee gets the appropriate equipment, training, and instructions to do their job properly and in the safest manner possible. Equipment may include but is not limited to
hearing protection, skin protection, and
eye protection. An employee should have the appropriate safety equipment to suit his or her own specific job type.
Employers need to make sure that all staff is properly fitted for a respirator or a dust mask if the environment is going to have particles that are hazardous to the lungs. Many construction type jobs in the summer deal with dirt, dust and particles.
Summer work goes beyond worrying about your traditional safety gear. Water consumption is very important. When working in heat it is suggested that you drink one cup of water every 15-20 Minutes. Most people would never guess that. An employee should wear the following items: sunglasses, a hat, light, loose fitting clothing, and sunscreen. Discourage the use of perfumes and cologne. This will cut down on an employee’s change of attracting insects. Even if a person is not allergic to insect bites and stings, anyone can always have a reaction even if they have never had one before.
Both the employee and employer should be able to recognize the signs of
heat stress and heat exhaustion. A person may begin to experience headaches, weakness, dizziness, confusion, the ability to think straight, upset stomach with or without vomiting, dark urine, passing out, or pale, clammy skin. If you notice these symptoms as an employee or employer get out of the heat right away and cool down. A person experiencing an actual heat stroke needs medical attention as soon as possible. A person may experience dry, hot skin, no sweating, mood changes, possible seizures, and unconsciousness with no response. Get the person to a cool area that is dry. Remove heavy clothing, encourage them to drink water if they are conscious, spray or fan them with cool water, and wait for further medical help. Never leave the person alone.
Make sure that employees have the appropriate footwear for their specific job. Sandal and anything open toed should not be worn when working with heavy equipment, lawn equipment, or chemicals.
If an employee experiences an illness or accident on the job, they will have to fill out an incident report. This keeps track of the event incase problems should arise with Worker’s Compensation or any legal type action.
If you are going to have employees working off of a ladder, entering
confined spaces or de-energizing equipment, they should be properly trained. The more knowledge that you can give an employee the higher their overall safety will be.
There are many chemicals in most work places. If you have an employee handling chemicals or chemical containing products the are to read the Material Safety Data Sheet Beforehand. The MSDS should be on hand and in a known location to all employees.
