Summer fun – summer injuries

Summer weather has finally arrived, and with it come a whole host of summer safety concerns. Safety is a year-round concern, but the potential dangers change with our weather. There are some common activities in our area that lead to injuries and death every summer.

First, we want to remind people that no matter what activity they are involved in, if it is after dark, they should wear light clothing and use reflective tape. It is very scary for drivers to suddenly come upon somebody out walking or biking and even scarier to the walker or biker to find a vehicle headed right toward him or her.

There’s a whole list of fun activities that will stay fun, if you keep safety in mind. For example, biking is good exercise and a great means of summer transportation. But bikers can fall off bikes, hit bumps and get thrown off their bikes, etc. We know that many bike injuries occur to the head. An easy way to protect all bike riders is for everyone to wear a bike helmet. We see a lot more kids wearing their bike helmets, but often right next to them are adults with no helmets. Not only do adults get hurt just as easily as kids, they are also role models for the children. If you wear your helmet, they will be more likely to wear theirs.

People who ride motorcycles and All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) should wear helmets, long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Falls from these moving vehicles (and usually they are moving pretty fast) cause a lot of damage to the body.

Minnesota summers mean spending time at or on the lakes. When swimming, make sure you swim only in areas that are posted for swimming. Don’t dive into water unless you know that it is deep enough. Many people have broken their necks diving into Minnesota lakes and have become permanetly disabled. When you are swimming in lakes, watch out for weeds because it is very easy to get tangled up and drown. When children are near the water, it is very important to keep an eye on them becuse it takes only a minute for them to get into trouble in the water. This is especially important even for the little wading pools that many people have at home. It doesn’t take a lot of water for a child to drown.

Boating, water skiing and jet skiing are other fun water activities. More and more people are out on the water, and it is important to be a defensive boater and skier. There are always people out on the lake that have been drinking. This is a really dangerous combination. Always wear a life jacket. It isn’t enough to just have it in the boat. And as with bike helmets, adults need to wear their life jackets just as much the children.

We often end our summer days with barbecues or bonfires. People need to be cautious around fires because it is very easy to become seriously burned. It is crucial that people keep flammable products away from the actual flames and away from the heat of the fire. And don’t forget food safety when picnicking – keep hot food hot and cold foods cold, cook all meat completely, wash your hands, and don’t reuse utensils or plates that have been in contact with raw meat.

There are potential dangers in working around your home. Lawnmowers are a common source of injury, especially to children. When using a pushmower, teach children how to mow safely by doing a preview of the yard with them and going along with them as they mow the first few times. Always disconnect the spark plugs if you have to work on the blades and never, let children ride on riding lawnmowers with you. Children can fall off and be caught in the mower blades. If you have to watch children, wait to mow the lawn until there is someone to help you.

People want to be careful with any machinery they might be using, such as chainsaws, weed “eaters,” garden tillers, etc. Any machine has the potential to cause a lot of injury. Learn how to use them properly and know what the dangers are.

Finally, there are some sun and heat safety issues you need to keep in mind. Use sunscreen to prevent sunburns (these can be very painful and can make people quite ill) and remember to reapply it on a regular basis. Reapplication is key, especially if you are on or near water. As the weather gets warmer, and as the humidity increases, it’s very important to be careful when working or playing outdoors. Make sure you are drinking a lot of water (at least eight 8 ounce glasses of water a day). Try to avoid the middle-of-the-day sun and heat. Exercise and do yardwork in the morning or early evening.

Those are some of the most common activities associated with summer injuries. Be smart and be careful, and you’ll enjoy the summer a lot more. If you would like more information on summer safety, you can contact your local public health office.