Arthur Blake Insurance Blog

Prevention is simple, effective and by far preferable to treatment. Proper prevention measures significantly reduce probability of sun related illness. Your actions in identifying and reacting to the signs of heat related illness could mean the difference between life and death.

The Sun and Radiation

Over-exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays can have detrimental effects on your skin. Here are some tips you may follow to reduce the risks of skin cancer:

• Avoid midday sun (10:00am to 4:00pm).
• Apply a waterproof sunscreen (SPF of 15 or greater).
• Wear tightly woven clothing to block sunlight.
• Wear a broad brimmed hat to shadow face, neck and ears.
• Sunlight reflected from snow and concrete increases the intensity of light on your skin.
• Light cloud cover will not block or protect you from ultraviolet sunlight
• Water does not filter most ultraviolet light, thus being underwater (e.g. Snorkeling) will not protect you from the sun.

Heat Illness Prevention

Prevention is the best defense against heat injuries:

• Avoid heavy physical exertion in hot conditions.
• Wear loose fitting, tightly woven and light colored clothing.
• Drink adequate fluids to replace your water loss when working hard in the outdoors.
• The danger of heat injury increases with higher humidity, age and the ingestion of alcohol or drugs.
• If you begin to feel ill or develop cramps, get out of the sun immediately and rest in a cool environment until you feel better.

Cars = Ovens in the summer

Even with a window slightly open, on a typically sunny summer day, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach potentially deadly levels within minutes. When left in a hot vehicle, a young child’s core body temperature may increase three to five times as fast an adult. This could cause perm