Stress article

or PEE R . REUI.E. WEｾ＠ . ART Ie L E Vo142IVo LAnD SURUEVORS, SOLAR 08SERUATIOn 11/ AnD sunny STRESS DlAnAGEDlEnT f (?007) 3 -7 ':' W. M. A. Wan Hussin Program Chairman Engineering Geomatic and Management Program School of Civil Engineering Universiti Sains Malaysia Abstract' Duet?the nature of the job, the life of a land surveyor is always subjected to excessive sunlight in the field{LandsurveyoJsshoUld know the extent of the damage to the skin caused by the long exposure to sunlight. Some of the common outcomes of this prolong €xposure to sunlight are heat ｾｸｨ｡ｵｳｴｩｯｮＬ＠ photo"ageing, sun burn,aCtinickeratoses, freckles,.and with time can develop to form skin cancer. This 'paper discusses the common problems facing land surveyors and introduces a few sun protection . strategies so as to be more sun-wise. Introduction Experts tell us that middle age is the prime of life a time when self-acceptance, wisdo'm and experience help us to realize our full potential. As the mirror never lie, it tells us that middle age is the time when little wrinkles appear at the corners of the eyes and the mouth, the skin beneath the chin starts to hang loose and the area under the ･ｹｾ＠ takes an extra pound or two. But age alone isn't .. what causes the skin to wrinkle. Like many professions which demand spending more time outdoors, the abuse land surveyors have been putting through over the years is what is really to blame. It is the environmental insults that make some skin age sooner than others. Specifically, excessive sunlight in the life of a land surveyor is the biggest abuser. On the whole, our country is blessed with a glorious summer sun almost all year long. As seasoned land surveyors, we always pray in the morning for a stress-free sunny day in return for a clear solar observation as a prerequisite for the day's job, eventual good daily field progress, updated field diary, and a remarkable achievement normally measured either in distance traversed or markers planted. Thus, the sun being part of the land surveyor's life and being exposed to long hours of sunlight for a big part of our working life is a very common thing (Wan Hussin, 2007). Some are so proud of these long sunshine experiences, the expected returns of the challenging field works, as it is always associated with healthy, energetic 'tiptop' living, as compared to those who opted for office work in air-conditioned surrounding, browsing field books and looking for booking errors, only to be associated with poor health, the frequent hospital visits and the numerous medical leaves. Despite the two contrasting work situations, different types of dressing regimes and working etiquettes gained from perhaps different gurus, and the egoistic benefits claimed by both parties, either the 'sun-baked' surveyor or his 'cold-blooded' counterpart, it is only a matter of time when the real losers or winners are 'offiCially announced' on the last working day before retirement. Arrogantly declaring that early generation of land surveyors do know the extent of the damage to the skin caused by the long exposure to sunlight, they made a well-established ruling that a field survey party is incomplete without an umbrella, and the size must be big enough to accommodate both the surveyor and his theodolite. But only known to his col:mlerparts working in the air-conditioned office is the fact that prolongs chronic intensive sun-exposure of the skin can cause damage to the upper layers of the skin resulting in what is termed as photO-damage and photo-ageing (Cunningham, 2000). Sunlight and its heat damage the skin's collagen and elastin fibres. These fibres give skin its strength, its r - r ＭｾＮＬ 1 elasticity and its resiliency. Collagen is what keeps the skin from overextending. Wrinkles are the result of repeated damage to collagen and elastin fibres and, once present, can't be reversed, Females land surveyors with dry skin tend to wrinkle earlier than their males' counterparts who have tougher, oily skin. Black-skinned men wrinkle the least of all (Michaud and Anastas, 1988). is only true to a certain degree as the more important predictor variables to photo-ageing are the skin type and skin colour of the individual land surveyor. A 'mat salleh' land surveyor who has a fairer and less pigmented skin of Types 1 and 2 will be more prone to sk'n.. damage, photo-ageing, suninduced skin diseases and skin cancer as compared to the typical Malaysian brown skin surveyor. Photo-ageing, skin type and sunny facts As a general guideline, skin colour and skin type is classified using the following Fitzpatrick Classification (Sheppard and Kashani, 1991). A common misconception of photo-ageing is that the problem is always associated with fair-skinned 'mat salleh'. Unfortunately, the truth is, it also affects the majority of us though it may take a longer time Skin Skin Colour Skin Type to make it more obvious Classification (Cunningham, 2000). Always burns, never tan Type 1 Pale white skin When land surveyors have Always burns easily, minimum tan Type 2 White skin been working for such a Moderate burns, uniform tan Type 3 Light brown skin long period of time in the Minimum burns, always tan well Type 4 brown skin Moderate field, the prolong Rarely burns, tans profusely Type 5 Dark brown skin excessive exposure of the Never burn, 'deep-rooted' tan Type 6 Deep pig mente skin for many years inflicted by the ultraviolet c:iark brown to black skin radiation may result in a cumulative skin damage that make it looks old and Sun exposure, sun burn and actinic keratoses wrinkled, often associated with unexpected age appearance, normally described as' looks older Spending too much time in the sun can cause than his age'. As early as 30 years of age, the skin painful burns to the body. What happens when the normally show development of minute skin wrinkles, I body is exposed to this condition is not much a'ifferent from what happens when a steak is thrown roughness and pigmentation and with time develops to form skin cancer. on a fire. It cooks! Burns to the skin are categorized by degree (Michaud and Anastas, 1988). FirstOn the other hand, those counterparts working in degree burn, which is the least serious, can cause the skin to get red but cause little damage. Secondthe air-conditioned office, experiencing chronological ageing whereby the skin show degree burn does cause damage with the outer changes as part and parcel of the natural ageing skin blistering but the result of injury can escalate process determined by age and genetiC make-up to the deeper skin layers but there is no damage to of the individual, may experience the same skin the structures beneath. The third-degree burn which wrinkles and pigmentation 10 years later in life as is the most severe can cause severe damage to the outer skin and the layers beneath. compared to the over-exposed land surveyors. .. Due to the rigorous practical training regimes received while pursuing land surveying degrees at local and overseas universities, land surveyors are believed to be able to tolerate more ultraviolet exposure and more resistant to photo-damage. The rigorous training modules plus the higher melanin pigment load, thicker dermal tissues and collagen content, typical of Type 3 Asian skin, makes land surveyors more prepared and highly motivated to face challenges in the extreme heat and rough terrain. While the relationship between skin exposure and photo-ageing is well established, this Sun burn due to prolong exposure facing land surveyors can be of two forms; first- and seconddegree heat burns. In mild case sun burn, the skin will feel hot and tight. It will alSG,'Jpok pink to scarlet in colour. In severe sun burn, the colour will be deeper and swelling and blistering may develop. Due to prolong exposure to unprotected Sunexposure, land surveyors may develop skin cancer (Sheppard and Kashani, 1991 )'. Land surveyors must therefore understand how this process occurs and how it latter affects the general well-being of ; L , or the skin. UV radiation penetrates the skin top layers and damages the genetic materials present in the nucleus of the skin cells. At the same time, the immune mechanism of the skin responsible for protecting, repairing, removing and renewing the damaged cells are also gradually affected by the prolong solar radiation. Eventually, the repair and renewal function of the skin fails and the new abnormal cells start to proliferate autonomously, forming the early sign of skin cancer. Medically known as actinic keratoses, these are tiny hardened growths on the surface of the skin which can progress into skin tumours and cancers. Early signs include abnormal rough, scaly or sore skins that fail to heal, regardless of its size and shape. As for other kinds of diseases, early prevention, detection and treatment are always the best approaches to successful treatment (Wan Hussin, 2003). Though there have been no established surveys being made by dermatologists on the local land surveyors' prolong sun-exposure and actinic keratoses, calls for earlier check-up are always a wise thing to do. Any established development of actinic keratoses, the most common skin lesions seen in people with chronic sun exposure, is in fact the earliest signs of established photodamage. For those 'mat salleh' land surveyors of Types 1 and 2 skins, actinic keratoses can be easily detected even in late teens and those in " their early 20s (Michaud and Anastas, 1988). Locally, actinic keratoses is prominent by the mid40s to 50s. Heat exhaustion Also known as heat prostration, it is a condition brought on by exposure to high temperatures or the sun but not to be confused with the more serious condition, heatstroke, which is life threatening. Heat exhaustion is due to excessive fluid loss and causes excessive sweating, nausea, anxiety and gradual weakness. The skin turns pale, greyish and clammy, and body temperature dips below normal. Because blood pressure is low and the pulse slow, fainting can occur (Michaud and Anastas, 1988). Land surveyors facing these symptoms must immediately lie down in a cool place, perhaps under a tree, with the head lower than the body and taking fluids by mouth every few minutes. They should also remove excessive clothing and, if possible, go to an air­conditioned area, if within reach. Freckles and sun protection strategies Freckles are sign that one has spent, or is spending, too much time in the sun. Freckles are nests of pigment­producing cells that get darker when exposed to ｳｵｮｬｩｾｨｴ＠ (Michaud and Anastas, 1988). Freckles don't fitle, tan does. The lightness or darkness of the spots only appear because excessive sun exposure makes the freckles looks paler in comparison as it is hidden by the tan. Exposing freckles to the sun in order to 'hide' them just don't work. It will only work up the pigmentproducing cells, the result being more freckles. ., As land surveyors, understanding the properties of solar radiation and the fundamental measures that can be taken to protect against photo­ageing and freckles, are always the rational sun protection strategy. It is important to realize that photo­damage is a cumulative process; hence protection from excessive sunlight must be started very early in life and should be continued for the entire working career. The use of long­sleeved cotton shirt, descent­sized hats and umbrellas are therefore not a 'good to have' but 'a must have' for land surveyors. This is extremely important because photo­damage can occur even without the development of sun burn. Even damage to the skin from a single episode of sun burn may persist long after apparent recovery. Freckles, on the other hand, are no cure. Once you have them, they are yours forever. But avoiding the expansion of freckles is manageable by wearing a sunscreen when carrying out the task in the sun. If freckles are really bugging you, then apply a coverup makeup with the natural colour. But hard to believe, it is never heard off that those male lands surveyors do go to that extend of applying makeup to cover the freckles. It would be best to enjoy the outdoor surveying job and join the ranks of fearless freckle fanciers! Land surveyors must develop a sun protection strategy and take it as a very important part of health and well ness promotion, as important as the updated field bookings and..itle daily work progress, as it is never too late to be sun­wise. This also includes protecting the eyes wHh sunglasses as solar radiation can also damage the eye lens and can cause cataracts. Even on overcast and cloudy days, the outcome of answered prayers, there are significant amount of solar radiation occurring, especially during the peak noon. Significant solar radiation also exist when carrying out hydrographic , surveys around lakes, rivers and the sea as No one needs to experience more than one sun significant amount of UV radiation is reflected from burn to realize that prevention is the best way to the water surface. A wise precautionary .measure go. Controlling sun exposure not only prevents sun is always to use the broad-spectrum sunscreen or burn but also prevents premature wrinkles and sun block, together with sun protecting clothing, unwanted skin growths, both benign and malignant. sunglasses and a descent-sized hat. Skin damage from ｴｾ･＠ sun is cumulative, and those who are fair-skin of Types 1 and 2 need to be Sunscreens and sun blocks are important part of particularly care;ful (Abascus et aI., 2001, Michaud a proper sun protection strategy. Land surveyors and Anastas, 1988). travelling long distances to remote survey sites must .. ensure that the vehicle is equipped with effective In high humidity equatorial regions like Malaysia, sunscreen or tinted glasses (Wan Hussin, 2007). sun block having a SPF value of 15 and above is The use of sun blocks while driving long journeys highly advisable for most outdoor activities. For land as well as while carrying out the field surveys must surveyors experiencing longer periods of exposure be seriously taken as part of the team's stress to the sun, an SPF value of 30 is preferred as it is management strategy towards getting optimum able to absorb up to 97% of the ultraviolet radiation output. Sun blocks are easily available in leading (Michaud and Anastas, 1988). In other words, if a pharmacists and can range from gels, cream and land surveyor experiences burning sensation after ointment; the choice depends on personal 10 minutes of sun exposure, an SPF 30 sun block preference and the anatomical area of the skin to product will be able to offer a protection from sun be covered. For those with sensitive skins and,other burn of up to 30 x 10 pre-existing skin problems, it would be best to seek This is already sufficient time to complete a full field the advice of qualified dermatologist. ｉｾ＠ = 300 minutes (Le. 5 hours). has to be day comprising some 300 metres of traversing and noted that certain sun blocks and medications planting 8 new boundary marks under normal field (typical to ageing land surveyors like antibiotics, conditions, including travelling time and the usual antidepressants, antihistamines, tranquilizers, hormones pills, certain synthetic vitamins, I stopover at the famous 'can't miss' Nasi Lemak Mak "Ngah Rompin! cholesterol balancing pills, etc.) can make one's skin more sensitive to sunlight and burns more Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) on the other easily because of photosensitivity (Michaud and hand is associated with the kind of dressing one Anastas, 1988). wears under sunny condition (Michaud and Anastas, 1988). Land surveyors profeSSing sun Sun Protection Factor (SPF) and Ultraviolet protecting clothing strategy always wear shirts (or Protection Factor (UPF) t-shirts) and jackets made from tightly weaved cotton fabrics and are usually lighter in colour to The SPF of the sun, the abbreviation for Sub promote absorption of UV. An UPF value of at least Protection Factor, is a measure of its ability to 15 is highly recommended, meaning that it would screen and blocks off the sun-burning effect of UV only allow 1/15 of the sun's UV radiation to radiation (Michaud and Anastas, 1988). SPF penetrate through. The higher the UPF value, the indicates how long one can stay exposed to the higher the degree of protectlori'is offered by such sun without getting sun burnt under ideal condition. clothing but the standard UPF value is about 50. Again, this is nothing new to land surveyors as the use of dark-filtered theodolite telescope eyepiece For general rule, new sun block enthusiasts should has long been rightly in used on day one in the understand the following simple tips (Michaud and solar observation astronomy classes. Anastas, 1988): \. L £ or a) b) c) d) e) Allow sufficient time (about 15 to 30 wearing G-string but arms covered with protective minutes) to apply the sun block before arm stockings, then she must be a survey proceeding outdoors. technician on her way to her newly enrolled stress Use sufficient amount to liberally coat management evening classes. So fellow land the skin of the face, arms and hands. surveyors, let us be sun-wise! • About one handful of lotion is required to effectively cover the exposed areas References of the skin. To ensure continuous protection, most Abascus, J. R., Brucato, D., and Brucato, L., (2001), products will need to be continuously repeated. Stress Mstery - The Art of Coping Gracefully, -, Prentice Hall Job Skill NetEffect Series, New Sun blocks should be reapplied Jersey_ sparingly every two hours or so during heavy sweating. Conclusions Land surveyors must by now understand the importance of sun protection and the common sense that goes with it. The damage t? the skin and health by excessive and long-term sun Cunnigham, J. B.. (2000), The Stress Management Handbook, Second edition, Lowell House, Los Angeles. Michaud, E. and Anastas, L. L., (1988), Listen to Your Body, MJF Books, New York. Rosenthal, M. S., 2002), 50 Ways to Prevent and Manage Stress, McGraw-Hili. exposure is very subtle initially bu\ could face with a stressful ending later in life (Rosenthal, 2002). By then, dealing with the effects of sun damage can be very costly both in health and wealth terms. I By now, survey managers must seriously include Sheppard, J. A and Kashani, J. H., (1991), The Relationship of Hardiness, Gender and Stress to Health Outcomes in Adolescents, Journal of Personality 59: 7547-768. the costs of sun blocks and sun screen into the annual budgeting as judicious and regular use of a good, effective and reliable sun block and sun screen be part of the new cost-cutting medical strategy incorporating sensible cost-protective routine and the most cost-effective way in preventing unwanted sun damage to the skin. Managers, who opted for this new medical strategy, must by now study the general progress of the field survey parties; otherwise, it will be even more worrying if the annual progress continues to be unsatisfactory and the blames were placed on the sun block and sun screen issues! Wan Hussin, W. M. A, Shamshad, A and Mohd Saanusi, S. A, (2003), Stress Management and Its Relevance to the Performance of Site Engineers and Land Surveyors: A Case Study in Malaysia, Third Global Conference on FI-exible Systems Management, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, India, 13-15 March 2003. Wan Hussin, W. M. A., (2007), Stress-Free Spatial Office Space: The Dream of Contemporary Surveyors, The Malaysian Surveyor (The Professional Jourfml of the Institution of Surveyors, Malaysia), 41.3: 53-55. Caution!! If you come across a land surveyor with whitish cream on the face, carrying out his surveys along the highway, he must be practicing his mastered sunny stress management strategy. If you come across a lady next to you at the traffic light Wan Hussin, W. M. A, (2007), Managing Stress: Tips to Land Surveyors, The Malaysian Surveyor (The Professional Journal of the Institution of Surveyors, Malaysia), 41.2: 45-49.