Harvest 2024: How to stay safe during the hot spell
18th July 2024
With yellow health alerts in place for parts of the UK, and harvest getting underway on many farms, don’t forget to protect yourself in the hot weather.
After a chilly, wet start to the month, temperatures are expected to hit 30ºC in some areas on Friday (19thJuly) – and generally warmer weather is predicted over the next few days.
It’s easy to neglect your own wellbeing during the busy harvest season, especially when work has been delayed by the weather.
However, as harvest starts to gather momentum, it’s important to take steps to protect yourself from the sun, especially between 11am and 3pm when UV rays are at their highest.
Farmers receive around 5-10 times the yearly sun exposure compared to people who work indoors.
Working in agriculture also has the second highest rate of fatalities due to sun exposure, after construction workers, according to Imperial College London research.
Protecting yourself in the heat:
- Apply sunscreen generously to any exposed skin and re-apply frequently. The NHS recommends at least SPF 30, and 4 or 5 star ultraviolet A (UVA) protection
- Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, light-coloured clothes
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face, eyes, head, ears, and neck, and sunglasses
- Make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day
- Stay in the shade where possible during breaks
- Monitor for signs of fatigue, stress and poor mental health, and remember to take breaks.
READ MORE: Harvest 2024: UK set for warmer, drier weather, but will it last?
Watch out for heat exhaustion and heatstroke
It’s important to be aware of the signs of heatstroke and heat exhaustion.
Heat exhaustion occurs when the body overheats and cannot cool down. It does not usually need emergency medical attention if you cool down within 30 minutes, but if you do not take action to cool down, it can lead to heatstroke.
Common symptoms of heat exhaustion include:
- Tiredness
- Weakness
- Feeling faint
- Headache
- Muscle cramps
- Feeling or being sick
- Heavy sweating
- Intense thirst.
If you have symptoms of heat exhaustion, move to a cooler place such as a room with air conditioning or somewhere in the shade, and remove all unnecessary clothing like a jacket or socks.
Additionally, drink cool water, a sports or rehydration drink, or eat cold and water-rich foods like ice-lollies.
Apply cool water by spray or sponge to exposed skin. Using cold packs wrapped in a cloth and put under the armpits or on the neck can also help.
READ MORE: Early harvest updates from around the UK and Ireland
Heatstroke is where the body is no longer able to cool down and the body temperature becomes dangerously high.
Common symptoms of heatstroke include:
- Confusion
- Lack of co-ordination
- Fast heartbeat
- Fast breathing or shortness of breath
- Hot skin that is not sweating
- Seizures.
Heatstroke is a medical emergency. If you think someone has heatstroke you should dial 999 and then try to cool them down.
Melanoma awareness
With farmers and farm workers spending large amounts of time outdoors, they are at higher risk of melanomas, but 86% of melanomas are preventable.
The Melanoma Focus charity warned last year that only 11% of adults ‘always use sunscreen’ – dropping to 8% for men.
READ MORE: Charity raises awareness about melanoma skin cancer among farming community
It advises contacting your GP if you notice a new or changing mole or lesion on your body, (e.g. change in shape, colour bleeding or itching).
Many of these moles or lesions do not end up being anything serious, but it is always important to be diagnosed early as early stage melanomas are generally curable.
Some rural GPs may offer mole check services for farmers, so it’s worth checking with your local practice.
Check out our weather page to help you plan ahead.
Read more harvest news.
