Health Upgraders

Sunlight is the source of life and exposure to sun is a necessity for many benefits. While there are many beneficial effects and good health outcomes, excessive exposure to sun can result in harmful effects as well.

Of late, the number of skin related disorders have risen owing to excess exposure to sunlight. In fact, skin cancer cases have steadily risen in the UK among workers who exposed to sun for long hours. Due to the nature of their jobs, roofers and builders are at the highest risk for exposure to harmful solar radiation. They are highly affected with reddening of the skin and damage to the skin on the back.

The sun’s heat is at its peak during the hours after noon and the skin damage is maximum at that time. Workers on roofs and construction sites usually remove their shirts to keep cool during noon hours. With no adequate protection and very little shelter, they are exposed to maximum damage inadvertently.

In a survey conducted by Marley Eternit, a firm specialising in roofing and cladding, almost 25% of the respondents wore no sun protection measures at work. One third of the workers used a sun protection cream that was not sufficiently effective due to a lesser potency.

Kimberley Carter of the British Association of Dermatologists has warned that excessive heat and sun burns are the primary factors responsible for development of the deadliest of skin cancers, melanoma.

The risks are manifold when there is no clothing protection. It is important to wear some fabric combined with a sunscreen. Sunscreens are to be chosen with care to ensure that they offer a minimum sun protection factor of SPF 30. With excess sweat, the sunscreen can run and it is necessary to choose a water resistant sunscreen. Also, she advises a reapplication of the sunscreen every two hours for long lasting protection.

The message is clear. Sun protective measures are a necessity for those exposed to sun for long hours.

IOSH courses by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health are designed to give managers and supervisors all they need to know to help handle health and safety in their teams; click on IOSH Managing Safely to learn about the importance of promoting a positive health and safety culture in the workplace environment, and to help organisations find the best ways to lead and promote health and safety, and therefore meet its legal obligations.