SKINCARE
“TWO-THIRDS OF WORKERS OUTSIDE FOR AN AVERAGE OF NEARLY SEVEN
HOURS A DAY THOUGHT THEY WERE NOT AT RISK OR WERE UNSURE IF THEY WERE.”
The fact is that the risks to ordinary holidaymakers cannot be compared to those faced by the millions of outdoor workers who are exposed to solar radiation for hours at a time, day in, day out.
HEALTH FACTS Sun exposure is the main cause of skin cancer. The simple fact that skin has changed colour after being exposed to the sun shows that it has been damaged.
Sunburn is a reaction to over-exposure to UV radiation – the top layers of skin release chemicals that make blood vessels expand and leak fluid causing swelling, pain and redness. Without protection from the sun, UV radiation starts to penetrate deep into the layers of the skin and damages skin cells, which can lead to the cell mutations associated with cancer.
Across the world sun exposure is the main cause of both malignant melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. Malignant melanoma is an aggressive form of cancer, less receptive to treatment than non- melanoma skin cancer, and has a higher death rate, especially if diagnosis is delayed and the cancer has spread.
Non-melanoma skin cancer, which includes basal cell (rodent ulcers) and squamous cell carcinoma, is rarely fatal but requires treatment and sometimes minor surgery.
Both non-melanoma skin cancer and malignant melanoma are associated with chronic exposure, typically experienced by outdoor workers, although for malignant melanoma intermittent sun exposure and sunburn history are considered particularly important. It is thought that getting painful sunburn just once
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every two years can triple the risk of malignant melanoma.
WHAT TO DO Skin cancer is an avoidable disease – 90% of skin cancer deaths could be prevented if exposure to UV were controlled. Tackling solar radiation exposure is relatively easy to do and is not necessarily costly. Start by assessing the risks of exposure to your employees:
• Do any employees work outside regularly?
• Are workers exposed to high levels of solar radiation for significant periods? Remember that even on cloudy days there can be enough radiation to damage the skin – up to 80% of UV rays can penetrate clouds.
• Are workers unprotected from the effects of solar radiation?
If you answer ‘yes’ to these basic questions there could be a risk of people being harmed by solar radiation and you will need to either prevent or control the potential exposure.
CONTROL EXPOSURE As part of a sun safety strategy, it is important to:
• Check the UV index on the weather forecast and communicate information to relevant workers, alongside prompts to use protective measures to minimise exposure
• Avoid or minimise exposure to direct sunlight in the middle of the day – 60% of daily UV radiation occurs between 10am and 2pm
• Use heavy-duty cover or shade when working outdoors in the sun – shade can cut UV exposure by 50% or more
• Make sure rest breaks are taken in shaded areas or indoors
• If employees are regularly driving during high UV months, add UV protective films or tints to plain glass vehicle windows if they are not laminated
• Raise awareness of solar radiation issues with workers through toolbox talks or training sessions – using a resource like IOSH’s free ‘Sun safety in construction’ film will help get the message across
• Ask employees to cover up with long-sleeved, loose-fitting tops and trousers when working outdoors during months with high UV
• Use high-factor sunscreen where the skin can’t be protected by other measures, for example, on the hands, face and lips
• Wear wide-brimmed hats that shade the face, head, ears and neck or if safety helmets are worn, use those fitted with flaps to protect the neck
• Wear sunglasses with 100% UV protection or use UV-filtering safety goggles with the same level of protection if the work means physical eye protection is needed
• Encourage workers to check their skin for changes to moles or other changes. Detecting the early signs of skin cancer and undergoing early treatment can save lives
Launched in April, IOSH’s free pack on solar radiation risks contains a wealth of information and resources to help protect employees from the risks of skin cancer.
www.notimetolose.org.uk www.tomorrowshs.com
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