Protect Your Family with Our Summer Safety Tips

Summer in Australia is a paradoxical time of careless fun and high anxiety. The warm days and blue skies make us want to get outside, but it’s hard not to worry about the risks of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and other summer hazards. We’ve put together this guide so you and your family can enjoy the summer safely.

Mind the Sun

In Australia, we have the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, and those numbers just keep going up. A person’s exposure to sunlight during childhood and adolescence is a key indicator of their melanoma risk later in life, so this is especially important for kids. Use a sunscreen with a SPF of 30-50 and choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect against both UV-A and UV-B radiation. Apply every two hours, or immediately after swimming.

Sunscreen Isn’t Enough

It’s important not to treat sunscreen as some kind of magic solution. You and your family also need to wear protective clothing and hats to block the sun directly. Try and avoid the peak risk times – roughly 10 am to 2 pm – when UVR is at its strongest. Shade is also important, but it needs to be proper shade. Sitting under a tree isn’t enough, as UVR will still be reaching you. If you spend a lot of time in your backyard, invest in shade sail installation to create lots of shaded areas. Residential shade sails provide SPF 50 protection and are flexible enough to work in any yard. Shade will also help you to avoid heat-stroke and – as long as you remember to drink a lot of water – dehydration.

Be Vigilant around Water

Drowning can happen terrifyingly fast and it usually occurs silently. So when kids – or adults who are weak swimmers – are in the water, follow these steps to avoid disaster:

  • Keep off your phone – smartphones have a way of making the world disappear for long stretches. Don’t let someone get into trouble in the water because you are checking your Facebook feed.
  • Learn and re-learn CPR for adults and children. That way if something does happen, you’re prepared to give first aid.
  • For home pools, make sure there is adequate fencing on all sides with doors that close and lock by themselves. But don’t just rely on the fence. Also, train your kids not to go near the pool without an adult.
  • Educate yourself – there are a lot of great resources out there to learn about water safety, so read up.

Beware of Bugs and Beasts

From mosquitoes to spiders to jellyfish, Australia can seem like a terrifying place in the summer. In reality, your chances of being seriously harmed by such wildlife are very slim, especially if you follow a few guidelines:

  • Never ignore warning signs.
  • Don’t put your hands or feet places where you can’t see them, especially under logs, in tree hollows, or under large rocks.
  • Shake your shoes before putting them on
  • Don’t pick up animals. If you go catching snakes and spiders then you are asking to get bitten.
  • If you go walking in the bush, carry a large stick and hit the ground as you go. This will give snakes warning and they will keep clear of you.
  • If you see a snake stay still and wait for them to leave.

Do you want a sun protecting, bug preventing, waterproof shade sail? With commercial and residential products available in a wide variety of colours, our range is bound to be perfect for you. Explore our online gallery or get in touch today. We will design, manufacture and install the ideal shade structure for you.