We all love warm, sunny weather – particularly as it’s famously hard to come by in the UK – but we often forget that it is unhealthy for our skin to be exposed to the sun for prolonged periods of time. Obviously, those at most risk are the people who spend most of their working day outside, including people involved in construction, railways, maintenance, local authority, and utility sectors to name but a few. There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people across all industries that should be aware of the dangers that direct sunlight can carry.

People with particular facial features need to be even more cautious too. For example, those with fair or freckled skin that tend not to tan are most at risk to the dangers of harmful UV rays, as are people with fair or red hair, as well as light-coloured eyes. Any sign of burning or even a suntan, are signs that the sun is damaging the skin. It is therefore, vital to regularly apply sunscreen to try and prevent burning.

Sunscreen isn’t the only way to protect yourself and your skin, there are many ways to protect yourself whilst working in direct sunlight. It may sound obvious but advice such as keeping hydrated with regular drinks of water and making sure you spend as much time in the shade as possible – particularly during lunch breaks – will all help reduce the risks that working in the sun can carry.

For further protection, people should make sure that the clothing they are wearing also protects them and PULSAR® have developed a range of polo shirts to ensure the wearer is protected to the highest level whilst working in the sun throughout the day.

All PULSAR® polo shirts, including the brand new Cut Resistant polo shirts, are manufactured using fabrics with a Ultraviolet Protection Factor Rating (UPF) of 40+. UPF’s are rated on a scale from 2 to 40+ based on the level of protection they offer with 40+ offering the highest form of protection from potentially harmful UV rays. Yet another example of the PULSAR® philosophy of providing garments that don’t just meet certain criteria, but exceed them – prioritising the health and wellbeing of the wearer at all times, making sure they are as protected as they possibly can be.

Another key bit of advice for when you are working in the sun, published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), is that no matter how warm it gets, to make sure you keep your top on at all times in order to minimise the amount of sun hitting the skin directly – which can increase the risks of people developing skin diseases later in life, such as skin cancer. With this advice in mind, PULSAR® developed underarm mesh ventilation into their polo shirts in an attempt to keeper the wearer cool and comfortable throughout the day, removing any need to take the polo shirt off in its entirety.

These two key features, combined with the thermally applied stretchy reflective tape to increase flexibility and reduce any restriction in movement plus a stand-up knitted collar and knitted cuffs that provide optimal fit and comfort, ensure that people can be protected to the maximum from harmful UV rays emitted by the sun whilst also staying cool, comfortable and flexible.

The perfect accompanying garment for these Polo Shirts, and completing PULSAR®’s Summer Safety offering, are the PR336 Combat Trousers. The trousers encorporate Teflon coating, which offers resistance to dirt, oil and light showers (even on the hottest British summer days, you have to be prepared for a shower too!).

Features such as the double stitched reflective tape and triple stitched inseam maximise the durability of the garment too, enabling wearers to go about their daily business and working tasks safe in the knowledge that their PPE is keeping them as visible and protected as possible.

Prioritising the comfort and safety of the wearer without compromise will always be paramount and the only way PULSAR® design, create and manufacture their Ladies and Men’s fit high performance apparel. Whether that be their innovative range of Flame Retardant, Anti-Static and Electric ARC clothing, the ground-breaking Evolution collection of Class 3 waterproof workwear or the Blizzard thermal clothing, that keeps the wearer warm to temperatures down to -15° during the cold winter months.