Summer Safety Tips are Helpful Guides for Enjoying and Working Outdoors During the Summer Without Compromising Safety

Tips Include Heat safety, Children’s Safety, Grill Safety, Working and Fun safety 

The New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is reminding New Yorkers of basic safety tips ahead of Memorial Day weekend. As warm weather approaches, these tips are helpful guides for enjoying or working outdoors during the hot summer season without compromising safety.

“Memorial Day marks the start of the season when New Yorkers begin planning for large gatherings, outdoor activities and fun festivities,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. “The NYS Division of Consumer Protection reminds New Yorkers to follow simple tips for staying safe from outdoor hazards and hot temperatures while enjoying all the summer has to offer.”

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “We all want to make the most of the summer months, enjoying the beautiful weather and New York’s great outdoors. Don’t let an emergency spoil the fun. Whether you’re on the playground, at the pool, or in front of the grill, stay cool and use best practices for safe summer activities to protect yourself.” 

The Division of Consumer Protection offers the following tips to consumers: 

HEAT SAFETY:

• Don’t leave children and pets in hot cars. Heat stroke is a significant danger to children and pets left in cars during the summer months and can cause significant harm or death, even when the outside temperature is as low as 57 degrees. Always check the back seat of your car before locking the doors. Never leave a child or pet in an unattended vehicle in the warm weather. To learn how to prevent hot car deaths, review our consumer alerton the topic.
• Stay informed. Check weather forecasts and sign-up for NY-Alert, the State’s Free Emergency Alert System to stay aware of any heatwaves or severe weather.
• Beat the heat. Minimize, if possible, strenuous activity and exercise, especially during the sun's peak hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Stay hydrated. 60% of your body weight is made of water, so make sure to drink enough water, adjusting for activity level and heat.
• Stay safe. During periods of extreme heat, keep yourself and your family safe by reviewing heat safety tipsfrom the NYS Department of Health and finding a cooling center near you.

CHILDREN’S SAFETY:

• Ensure playground safety.Check playground equipment for damage and monitor your kids while they are playing.  For information on playground safety, read this  Public Playground Safety Checklist.
• Supervise water activities.Always supervise children near water, including pools, beaches and lakes. You can find American Red Cross swim lessons in your area and safety tips in our water safety consumer alert.
• Respect the rules at amusement parks and fair rides. Obey listed age, height, weight and health restrictions, and follow all directions posted on signs, given by ride operators or announced through recorded messages. These rules were created for everyone’s safety. Read our consumer alertfor more safety tips at amusement parks and fairs.

OUTDOOR SAFETY:

• Wear a helmet. Always wear a helmet when biking or skateboarding and follow traffic rules. For more biking tips, check out our recent consumer alert.
• Grill safely.  Only use grills outside in a well-ventilated area. Never use a grill indoors, in a garage, breezeway, carport, porch, next to your home or under a surface that will burn. For more safe grilling tips, check out our recent consumer alert.
• Prevent fireworks related injuries.The best way to keep your family safe is to leave fireworks to the professionals. Even sparklers are dangerous around children because they can burn hot enough to melt metal. For additional tips and information on New York’s laws on fireworks, read our July 2024 consumer alert.
• Use caution to prevent fires and burn injuries. During summer months, many summer activities such as camping, cookouts, bonfires, and fireworks involve fire. Keep children at least three feet from all heat sources, including campfires, grills, and fire pits.
• Shield yourself from burns. As temperatures rise, applying sunscreen is essential. But when it comes to infants, the best protection is to stay out the sun completely. The Food and Drug Administration and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding sunscreen for babies under 6 months of age.
• Beware the bug bite.
  • No one likes a bug bite. Cover your skin as completely as possible when outside at sunrise, sunset, and early in the evening when mosquitoes and other bugs are most active.
  • Ticks are a high risk in 2026, so take extra precautions. See the NYS Department of Health’s recent information on tick precautions.

Power Tools Safety:

• Make sure you read directions and follow the instructions in the owner’s manual.
• Protect yourself while you work: wear snug clothing and remove jewelry that could get caught in tools.
• Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from flying debris.
• When using power tools, never carry them by the cord and keep cords away from heat, oil and sharp edges.
• One power tool that is regularly involved in injuries is a table saw. No matter how expert you are, always use the blade guard for through cuts and use a push stick for small pieces.
• When using battery-powered tools, only use the battery and charger provided by the manufacturer.
• Always keep hands away from moving parts.
• Extreme caution is required when operating a chainsaw. Never cut over your head (kickback can land the chainsaw into your face or shoulder).

Lawn Mower Safety:

• Do not allow children to ride on a mower as a passenger.
• Keep children out of the yard when mowing.
• Before you start mowing, pick up objects like stones, branches and toys, which can become flying objects if you run over them.
• Dress appropriately for the job: wear closed-toe shoes and use eye protection, gloves and hearing protection when needed.

About the New York State Division of Consumer Protection

Follow the New York Department of State on Facebook, X and Instagram and check in every Tuesday for more practical tips that educate and empower New York consumers on a variety of topics. Sign up to receive consumer alerts directly to your email or phone here.

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection provides voluntary mediation between a consumer and a business when a consumer has been unsuccessful at reaching a resolution on their own. The Consumer Assistance Helpline 1-800-697-1220 is available Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm, excluding State Holidays, and consumer complaints can be filed at any time at www.dos.ny.gov/consumer-protection. The Division can also be reached via X at @NYSConsumer or Facebook.