Add playing in the sand to the long list of fun things that may be bad for your health.

A new study says you risk getting an upset stomach and diarrhea if you dig into the granular stuff to fill toy pails, build sand castles or bury yourself. You’re better off walking along the shore or swimming in the surf.

Is the federal government, which paid $63,500 for the research, throwing a major bummer into the beach-going season? San Diego County’s 76 miles of coastline are dotted with dozens of state and city-run beaches.

Or maybe yesterday’s publication of the information is a nefarious plot against the 29th annual U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition, which is expected to attract 300,000 people to Imperial Beach this weekend.

The report’s authors said they don’t mean to put a damper on summer fun. They just think it’s important to caution people about the bird droppings, urban runoff, sewage and other contaminants that pollute sand.

“Take care to use a hand sanitizer or wash hands after playing in the sand,” said Tim Wade, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency who helped write the study.

Debbie Longley, chairwoman of the sand-castle contest, said she isn’t aware of participants being sickened by tainted sand during past competitions. The event is a bright spot for Imperial Beach, the long-suffering recipient of Tijuana River sewage overflows that have caused many shoreline closures.

“Going to any beach presents some element of health hazards, but I think (the study) will be the last thing on people’s minds when they are out . . . at the sand-castle competition,” Longley said.

As part of a larger assessment of water quality at beaches, EPA researchers interviewed more than 27,000 beach-goers in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2007. There were four sites on the Great Lakes and one each in Mississippi, Alabama and Rhode Island.

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A champion surfer has caught a break in more ways than one, with the Industrial Relations Commission in Australia finding that going surfing while on sick leave is not a sackable offense.

Shane Bevan, a former world championship tour surfer, was sacked from his baggage handler’s job after his then employer discovered he took part in Queensland’s Coolum Classic surf contest while on sick leave with a bad back, the Australian reported.

The IRC initially upheld his sacking but, on appeal, a commission full bench last week supported Bevan’s claim that the termination was harsh, unjust and unreasonable and ordered the company to pay compensation.

Bevan injured his back while working for Oceania Aviation Services.

Bevan saw an osteopath who issued him with a medical certificate covering the period to Sunday, September 16, 2007. While on leave, his grandfather died and he travelled to Sydney to be with relatives before returning home two days later.

In memory of his grandfather, he decided to compete in the Coolum Classic  of which he was the reigning champion  scheduled for the next day.

The day he surfed was a rostered day off; his back had improved and he revisited his osteopath, who was happy with his progress.

He spoke to his work supervisor to check someone was taking his shift on the Sunday, although this was unnecessary given he had a medical certificate that covered the period to and including the Sunday.

Upon returning to work on the Monday,  Bevan was asked what he had been doing. He referred to his grandfather’s death and the visit to Sydney.

Asked if he had been surfing, he replied that he had been for a “bit of a paddle”. His employment was terminated.

The Australian reported that the commission upheld the sacking, finding  Bevan misled the company about his physical capabilities and did not acknowledge he had been in the surfing contest when first asked.

However, a commission full bench overturned the findings, noting  Bevan participated in the surfing tournament on his regular rostered day off.

“He went surfing in his own private time and not during a time when he was rostered to attend work,” the full bench said.

“It is also important to note that  Bevan, after organising a shift swap on the Sunday, (despite being covered by a medical certificate) attended work on the Monday (his next rostered shift) ready and able to perform the full range of his duties.”

After lengthy evidence about which muscles  Bevan used at work and which he used surfing, the full bench noted the osteopath did not agree that  Bevan had put his injury at risk by surfing.
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The osteopath’s evidence did not support a conclusion that  Bevan was fit to resume work in light of his participation in a surfing competition.

Bevan also did not mislead the company about his fitness to resume normal work, given it involved heavy lifting.

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