Summer brings with itself moments of joy to the United States citizens. However, looking at the statistics and data collected over the years, it is also that time of the year that people’s health and safety are at the highest risk. Labor Day Weekend marks the very end of summer, with people rushing outdoors to spend the long weekend, taking a sigh of relief out of their regular routines. However, as millions of people make outdoor plans with traveling included, Labor Day Weekend witnesses hundreds of thousands of reported accidents, which a trajectory facing upwards in recent times. At this occasion, the entire national health care infrastructure is kept at high alert to cater to any possible mishaps. Knowing the measure of unfortunate events that generally occur is vital for safety precautions to avoid the holiday to be turned into a memory replete with grief, regret, and negligence.
Food Hygiene
Binge eating and cheating on their diets during holidays are things people look forward to the most. However, it is a significant health concern, one should be careful not to indulge in eating out at unhygienic places. While cooking or camping outdoors, people must make sure to wash or sanitize their hands continually. For reasons obvious, food hygiene must be observed with greater care than while indoors. One should be conscious of not leaving any edibles uncovered and make sure that insects and flies are kept away from edibles. Also, perishable food should be consumed as early as possible and stored at the right temperature. Coolers or temperature-controlled containers can be of great use to help keep them fresh. In the case of food poisoning or gastrointestinal disorders, one should be kept hydrated and must immediately be referred to a health care professional.
Skin Safety
Your skin needs ample protection against sun-related problems at all costs. Sunscreens having the correct SPF formula can turn out to be saviors that one should always keep in handy. Keep drinking water regularly to keep the body cool, especially while exercising, and wear shades to protect the eyes. People with sensitive skin should take greater care while sunbathing over the wekend, which is a significant cause of severe sunburns. To prevent such, avoid direct exposure to the sun for more extended periods, for which umbrellas and shade hats can be helpful. It is also advisable to reappl y sunscreen every 2 hours and after swimming to keep your skin safe. It is also recommended to carry a first aid kit during beach parties to attend to any minor injuries or burns immediately.
Water Safety at and around Pools and Beaches
Speaking of beach parties, it is necessary to keep children safe at and around pools and beaches. You may not keep the little ones at arm’s length to make it annoying for them but should always keep them under supervision and within sight. Making sure that all children wear different colored bright swimsuits can help to identify them at a distance. Avoid getting drunk at the beach, for it leads to impaired body balance and coordination. Moreover, it is essential to pick a swimming spot close to a lifeguard in-charge to be visible to him in case of an emergency. Please note that ocean swimming is different from swimming in a calm pool or lake, so one should always be prepared to deal with the strong oceanic waves before running in.
Pool parties are places of immense fun with family and friends around. However, some precautions need to be followed to prevent the fun from turning blue. A dedicated pool watcher should be assigned who keeps an eye, especially on the children. Life jackets, those approved by the US Coast Guards, should always be kept for adults and must be worn by children while in deep waters or boating. Swimming at the sea should be avoided after sunset. The swimming limits should also be restricted using appropriate ropes and bounds. It is necessary for the parents never to leave their kids unattended and make sure that the kids use swimming tubes if they do not know how to swim. It is essential to obey the lifeguard’s instructions. People should make sure that they swim within their abilities and only where they feel comfortable, only dive into areas where it is safe and look for prohibitory signs around.
Road Safety
Drunk driving remains a significant menace on Memorial Day, with constant reports of fatal accidents coming in. The national safety and rescue services have reported a trend of hundreds of casualties each year on the Memorial Weekend, with tens of thousands of people getting injured in road accidents. Rush driving and traffic rules violations stand as the biggest reasons for high casualties.
Safety precautions at the road should be of paramount importance as it puts precious lives at stake, likely to cause injuries not just to your family but strangers who might have nothing to contribute to the accident. You should put your car through a pre-journey checkup for maintenance, refilling, and any changes that it may require. You must lubricate the car’s engine and the moving parts. It is also recommended to refill or keep coolants and keep a spare wheel if any of the tires get flat. It is always best to have the travel journey planned with details of stopover to take a break. It is important to have a designated driver for the group or make all people switch in positions as the driver after short intervals. It would be best if you do not let a drunk person behind the wheel. Last but not least, there should be a strict watch to catch any drunk drivers who, in the first place, should avoid the act and be responsible.
Fire Safety
With peoples’ barbecue plans, outdoor cooking, and bonfires, grill and smokers pose a significant risk of causing burns and even fires. It is significant to note that a grill or fire should never be left unattended and always remember to extinguish the fires completely. It is also crucial for a responsible adult to guard the grill at all times to control the flames and to keep children and pets away from hot surfaces. You must ensure that the grill is prepared for usage. Please keep it clean of oil, investigate propane fuel lines, and position your barbecue away from structures, trees, high-traffic walkways, and materials that can easily catch fire. The most important thing is always to keep an extinguisher nearby and know how to cut off fuel lines if you are using propane.
These are just some of the many precautionary measures that should necessarily be taken to avoid mishaps during one of the country’s most significant national festivals. Patience, vigilance, and carefulness towards each other can help ensure that hospitals are not overburdened with accidental emergencies on these occasions.
