Portwest Construction Magazine

UV Ultraviolet (UV) radiation poses a significant risk to construction workers due to their prolonged exposure to the sun’s rays while working outdoors. Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) is a classification system for sun protective clothing, indicating how much UV radiation a fabric permits to reach the wearer’s skin. Achieving a UPF finish involves using either a tightly woven fabric structure or coating the fabric with colourless dyes during manufacturing.

Cooling vest and sleeves reduce the risk of overheating

Sun protective clothing is categorised based on its UPF rating, and garments must bear the UPF 40+ symbol indicating the level of protection, accompanied by a user information document detailing the EN 13758-2 standard.

Mitigating Heat Stress Injuries and illnesses linked to heat can be significantly avoidable through the implementation of suitable heat warning systems or effective mitigation strategies. Safety Glasses: When working in sunny conditions, choose safety glasses with lens tint ‘smoke’ or ‘polarised’ to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays and sun glare. Polarised lenses are particularly suited to block glare when working near water or other wet surfaces. Preventative Measures Protective Clothing: To protect against sun exposure, construction workers are recommended to wear UPF-rated long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, and wide-brimmed hats, providing coverage for exposed skin.

Choosing the right PPE clothing for your workers can significantly contribute to preventing heat stress. Breathability: The fabric should allow airflow to avoid heat being trapped inside the garment. Moisture management: Utilising Moisture wicking and moisture evaporation technology, sweat is drawn away from the body and dispersed across the fabric’s surface to evaporate faster, thus cooling the wearer. Drying time: Fabrics that absorb moisture and hold that moisture become heavy and uncomfortable. Quick drying fabrics allows the fabric to dry out quickly. Fabric weight: Opting for lightweight fabrics helps to relieve heat stress and minimise the exertion that contributes to heat-related discomfort. Cotton, being natural, lightweight, breathable, and absorbent, is an excellent choice in dry heat. Polyester and Nylon fabrics would be more suitable for humid conditions due to their moisture-wicking properties. There are a few different cooling technologies that can be used with textiles. They can be divided into two main categories, temperature balance and temperature reduction. Temperature Balance: Fabrics designed for temperature balance focus on wicking away sweat. By dispersing moisture across the fabric’s surface, they facilitate faster evaporation. Temperature Reduction: Some textiles feel cool to the touch due to their highly conductive polyethylene (PE) yarn. Although not technically cold, this conductivity provides a cooling sensation. 9

WEAR AND REGULARLY RE-APPLY SUNSCREEN

WEAR LIGHT-COLOURED CLOTHING AND SUNGLASSES

STAY HYDRATED BY DRINKING PLENTY OF FLUIDS

ACCLIMATE TO HOT CONDITIONS SLOWLY

AVOID STRENUOUS ACTIVITY DURING THE HOTTEST PART OF THE DAY

REGULATE BODY TEMPERATURE WITH COOLING PRODUCTS

STAY INFORMED WITH TRAINING AND AWARENESS

EAT LIGHT MEALS

MOISTURE WICKING FABRICS