Posted 3 years ago by aequitaslegal in
It’s that time of year again. A New Year and January blues! People are escaping the doom and gloom by catching some winter sun. The weather is colder and the sun is extremely low, but that doesn’t stop people from heading out and enjoying themselves. Unfortunately, many people fail to realise the sun can be extremely dangerous during these wintery months, especially when the ground is covered with a reflective layer of bright snow or ice.
During this frosty period, whether you’re heading to the slopes or escaping the weather to warmer climates we advise the following:
Wear clothing that will protect your body if you are out in the sun. Remember dark colours usually absorb the sun therefore harmful to you and your body. The same principle applies if you are out in the cold. Wrap up, add additional layers of clothing and wear a woolly hat with gloves to keep warm.
We advise whether you’re on a holiday for either beach or skiing that you apply a high factor sun cream above factor 15 which will protect your skin from sun burn. We also advise that you look out for sun creams that are UV protected and water resistant too.
Whilst the sun is low it can have a tendency to reflect of snow, water and ice. This would further increase your exposure to UV radiation, increasing your risk of developing eye issues later on in life.
Long hours on the beach or in the snow without adequate eye protection can also result in short term issues as well. When purchasing sunglasses it is advised that you look for a label that specifically offers 99-100% UV protection. This assures that the sun glass lenses block both forms of UV radiation. Children should wear real sunglasses rather than toy sunglasses. Ensure they are UV protected as children are most vulnerable to the sun. Do not always assume the more expensive or darker the tint on the glasses the more UV protection you will receive this is not the case. It is also not the case with designer sunglasses as well. Just because it may be a well-known brand doesn’t always mean that the coating on the lenses will protect your eyes from harmful rays.
When most of us think of sunglasses, we immediately think of hot sunny climates where the sun is high in the sky and a pair of what I call “bug eyed” sunglasses covering majority of your face whilst sunning it up on a beach or by the poolside. We wear them for fashion, but hopefully mostly for the protection we get from the sun. The tint reduces the amount of light shining in towards the face. It usually reduces it by roughly 85% making it easier to ski and do your usual day to day activities without any glare or feeling uncomfortable from unnecessary lighting reducing your vision.
During the winter period particularly for snow goers, the low sun and weather conditions can make things tricky at the best of times it can be extremely dangerous when it comes to skiing and snowboarding injuries. Prevention and taking precaution is often much more pleasant than the cure if the worst was supposed to happen. Take time to familiarise yourself with measures you would need to take to prevent any serious injuries from coming up.
If you or a loved one was injured in a winter weather related accident due to the actions of another of another or the failure of a business, local council to clear ice from the road or an accident or injury whilst abroad you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering you may have endured. Contact Aequitas Legal now on 0161 358 0800.
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