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Secure Your Summer with These Safety Signs & Tips

Beach with No Swimming Signs and Sunbather

Vacation Season

With summer almost here, many people will be spending time outside or rushing off for family trips. It’s easy to forget general safety tips during summertime if you’re busy taking advantage of the pleasant weather or enjoying your time off. Camping, long-awaited vacations, the beach, grilling, swimming, and many other fun activities await, after all, and according to a 2017 study, 80% of United States residents took a vacation during the summer.1 However, summer safety should stay a priority even during your upcoming holiday. Here are some tips for kids and adults to help keep your summer safe and fun!

The Great Outdoors

If you’re going hiking or camping, be sure to heed any warnings concerning fire or wildlife danger. Ensure any fire pits or campfires you light are built properly and away from tents, dry twigs, and nearby foliage to prevent wildfires. Yellow Sign w/ Black Text & Image of BearRemember to bring bug spray to keep pests away and first aid materials in the case of a minor incident. Be mindful of any local fauna postings, such as bear warnings, or if you run a campground or other such location, ensure you prominently place appropriate signage warning campers of potential wildlife and forest fire dangers.

Whether you’re going hiking, camping, to the beach, to the pool, or simply spending time outside at home, always remember to pack and apply sunscreen every two to four hours. The sun’s harmful UVB rays are the cause of 95% of melanoma cases and 99% of non-melanoma skin cancers.2 However, according to an Australian study, appropriate application of SPF 15 sunscreen can reduce your chance of developing melanoma by up to 50%.3 Make sure your sunscreen isn’t expired as it can lose effectiveness over time. Sunscreen is an important and easy way to keep you and your skin healthy!

Pool or Beach Side

White Sign w/ Blue Border, Blue and Red Text - "Pool Rules"Many vacationers and coast-dwellers will probably spend some time swimming this summer. It’s a refreshing break from the hot summer sun, a phenomenal form of exercise, and a great way to stay cool. However, there are a few water safety tips to keep in mind while you’re at your favorite swimming locale. If you plan on going to a public pool, you can start by following all posted pool policies. Generally, swimming pool rules are established for the protection of swimmers. No diving, running, glass containers, and leaving children unsupervised are common safety rules meant to protect pool-goers from injury. If you own a pool or your organization has one on property, be sure to keep your swimming pool safety signage updated to reflect current policies. Additionally, there’s the old belief that you should wait 30 minutes to an hour after eating before you can swim, but according to an article from Mayo Clinic and Dr. Boniface, “You may end up with some stomach cramping or a muscle cramp” and “it may not be the most comfortable thing to go for a swim with a full belly, the world won’t end if you ignore your mom’s advice.”4

Workplace Woes

Unfortunately, many of us don’t get to enjoy a summer break. Work still needs to be done, but now is a prime opportunity to address summer safety topics Black Sign w/ White Text - "In Case of Fire - Do Not Use Elevator"for your workplace. It’s easy to skip drinking water while you’re on the clock, so remind your employees and coworkers to stay hydrated during the hot months to prevent dehydration. Perhaps now is the time to update your business’ safety signage. Given the hot and dry weather summer brings, you may consider updating or adding additional fire safety signs and equipment. Clearly marking fire exits and extinguishers can help keep you and your coworkers safe in the case of an emergency. Finally, if your employees spend most of the workday outdoors, remember to let them take plenty of breaks to avoid heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

At Home

Whether you can’t travel due to work or simply want a relaxing stay-cation, you always want to keep your home or apartment safe. From a 2014 study White sign w/ Red and Black Text - Bilingual English/Spanish - "Warning - Beware of Dog"from the Bureau of Justice, there is evidence of increased crime rate during the summer. Burglaries occur up to 11% more and household larceny up to 8% more frequently compared to other seasons.5 One way to discourage potential criminals is by posting video surveillance signs if you have a camera security system. If you don’t have an electronic security system but do have a canine companion, then hanging “Beware of Dog” signs on your property can help deter would-be burglars and vandals. Home is meant to be a safe haven for you and your family, and warding off unwelcome guests and intruders with clearly marked warning signs can help this summer.

Summer is the season of fun for many. Ensure you keep yours that way by following a few summer safety tips!

References

  1. Minnaert, Lynn. (2017). US Family Travel Survey 2017. Retrieved from https://www.scps.nyu.edu/content/dam/scps/pdf/200/200-4/200-4-16/P1718-0036-2017_Family_Travel_Survey.pdf
  2. www.cancercouncil.com.au
  3. ascopubs.org
  4. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org
  5. www.bjs.gov


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Water Conservation for Businesses

Running Water Faucet

Earth Over North & South America
Over 97% of Earth’s water is salt water

Of all the water on the planet, roughly 97 percent of it is unusable, or difficult to desalinate salt water. This leaves us with about 3 percent of the total as fresh water, more than 98 percent of which is inaccessible due to being located in ice caps, glaciers, and deep groundwater.1 We are left with a little over 1 percent of fresh water that is usable coming from lakes, rivers, and ground ice. As such, fresh water is considered a limited resource simply because, by comparison, there is so little of it, and when consumption outpaces the natural water cycle, the usable amount decreases, affecting the environment and local populace.

So, what is water conservation?

Water conservation is the process of reducing the amount of excess water used for daily activities domestically, commercially, and industrially through the planning and execution of management practices.

Why is it important?

Maintaining a steady, available supply of usable water affects many aspects of daily activities. Restrooms, laundry facilities, kitchens, and other modern amenities rely on water to function. The wanton and excessive use of water damages the environment. Contaminated water can re-enter the ecosystem and the overuse of a water supply can dry out an entire region.

White & Yellow Sign with Black Lettering that Reads "SEVERE DROUGHT, Please Conserve Water"
Raise drought awareness

Making a plan for conserving water and reducing use can help prevent long-lasting repercussions. The importance of lessening water use in the United States can be inferred from concerns of state water managers who expect water shortages in 40 states by 2023, according to a 2014 Government Accountability Office study.2  Simply and economically speaking, reducing excessive water use means less money that your business has to pay for water. It just also happens to help the environment.

Water Use in Businesses

Publicly supplied water is “water delivered to users for domestic, commercial, and industrial purposes”3 and makes up approximately 12 percent of fresh water usage in the United States.4 According to the EPA, commercial and industrial businesses account for 17 percent of the use of public water supplies. This includes usage in laundry and cleaning facilities, maintenance of medical equipment, kitchen and restroom use, landscaping, and others. Roughly 40 percent of a company’s water use comes from bathrooms and laundry facilities.5 Water use in these sectors is often required, so taking steps towards reducing this utilization would help in decreasing environmental and economical impact.

Steps to Lessen Water Usage

There are a myriad of ways to reduce our water consumption at home, such as:

  • Turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth

    Navy Background with White Icons Reading "Please Help Save Water, Make sure all taps are securely shut"
    Reminder to save water
  • Only washing full loads of laundry
  • Updating bathroom fixtures, laundry, and kitchen fixtures

Similarly, implementing a conservative water usage policy within your business can help reduce your company’s footprint.

Help control water usage by:

  • Monitoring and metering your business’s water usage
  • Updating cooling and restroom fixtures
  • Educating and rewarding employees for adhering to a strict water usage plan

Custom Signs offers a wide selection of conservation signage to remind your employees to strive towards lessening your business’ water consumption. Our brass and plastic signs come either engraved or in full color and can be customized to meet your company’s needs. Take the first steps of your company’s journey towards preserving our water supplies by informing your employees with a custom conservation sign from CustomSigns.com.

References

  1. https://water.usgs.gov/edu/earthhowmuch.html
  2. https://www.gao.gov/assets/670/663343.pdf
  3. https://water.usgs.gov/watuse/wups.html
  4. https://www.epa.gov/watersense/types-facilities
  5. https://www.epa.gov/watersense/best-management-practices