UV Radiation

Overview

    Ultraviolet (UV) light poses a real threat to the field geologist in the form of serious long-term problems such as skin cancer, premature wrinkling, immune suppression, and cataracts.

    There are three categories of UV radiation: UVA, UVB, and UVC.  The ozone layer fails to absorb any UVA radiation while UVB is partially absorbed and UVC is almost completely absorbed.  UVA damages the connective tissues in your skin while UVB results in the actual sunburn.^†

Protect Yourself and Your Crew

• Be conscious of the UV index when working outdoors -- especially if you're a crew leader.  This is a scale from 1 to 10+ that rates the level of UV radiation in selected cities, with 0 being the lowest and 10+ the highest.

Live map of current UV index in the US.

• As a geologist, it's not realistic to avoid the sun when the UV index is high.  Therefore, you must be extra mindful like all those lifeguards at the beach.

• Wear protective glasses (either dark or clear) that block at least 99% of all UV rays.

• Wear a wide-brim hat to protect your head.

• All of your shirts should be long sleeved -- you can always roll 'em up -- and all of your shorts should convert into pants.

• Use sunscreen, with an SPF rating of at least 15 -- particularly on the nose, hands, ears and neck.

^† Kotz and Treichel 1999, p 485

    Table of Contents   

Field Hazards

• Arthropods

  • Scorpions

  • Black Widow

  • Brown Recluse

  • Ticks

  • Fire Ants

  • Chiggers

  • Bees and Wasps

   

• Large Animals

  • Alligators

  • Bears

  • Big Cats

  • Feral Dogs

   

• Man-made Hazards

  • Mines & Quarries

  • Cyanide Guns

  • Hostile Encounters

  • Hunting

  • Big Game Trapping

  • Road-side Hazards

  • Driving

  • Booby Traps

   

• Overseas Travel

  • Health Concerns

  • Insurance

  • Safety Overseas

   

• Poisonous Plants

  • Poison Parsnip

  • Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac

  • Sting Nettle

   

• Poisonous Reptiles

  • Treating Poison Reptile Bites

  • Poisonous Lizards

  • Pit Vipers

  • Coral Snakes

  • Listing by State

   

• Water

  • Dehydration

  • Hyponatremia

  • Purification

   

• Weather

  • Lightning

  • Flash Floods

  • UV Radiation

  • Heat Exhaustion

  • Heat Stroke

  • Hypothermia

  • Frostbite

   

• Wildfires

  • Watch Signs

  • Fire Behavior

  • Surviving

   

• Zoonosis

  • Hantavirus

  • Lyme Disease

  • Rabies

Field Praxis

• Crew Leadership

• Situation Awareness

• Problem Management

• Loss of Life

• Lunch vs. Breakfast

• Photography

• Flat Tires

• Private Property

• Labeling Samples

• Take a Buddy

• Take Care of You

• Environment

• Watch the Weather

• Off-road Driving

• Navigation

• Field Gear

  • Gear Sources

  • Gear List

  • Don't Lose Your Gear

  • Protect Your Gear

  • Clothing

    • Keeping Warm

    • Keeping Cool

    • Nylon vs. Cotton

    • Kneepads

    • Eye Protection

    • Orange Vests

     

  • Tools

    • How to Make a Jacob Staff

    • Hand Lens

    • Tool Belt vs. Backpack

    • Essential Books

    • Clipboard

     

  • First-aid Kit

• Field Health

  • Field Hygiene

  • Smoking

  • Eye-drops

  • Insect Repellant

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This site was last updated August 20, 2004

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