According to the firm, an estimated 86% of malignant melanoma cases in the UK are linked to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun making sun protection a vital element of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). The company’s protection products include the Deb® SunPROTECT range of sun creams, and the Deb® SunPROTECT Skin Safety Centre, which they say helps to educate people about the dangers of working outside with a pre-assembled one-litre dispenser of sun cream, and a set of numbered cards for displaying the current UV level. A QR code links to the Met Office’s weather and UV level web page so that UV index cards can be regularly updated, the company say.
Arco points out that skin cancer is one of the most common forms, with construction workers six times more likely to develop the disease than the general population, they say. The firm suggest that lack of knowledge of sun safety contributes to the problem, noting that Nottingham University researchers found two thirds of construction workers thought they were either not at risk, or unsure if they were.
Drivers, too, are at risk say Arco, pointing out that while windscreens block up to 98% of harmful UVA rays, because they are made of glass laminated with plastic, other windows allow up to 80% penetration.
“The dangers of UV radiation at work are becoming better understood all the time,” said Jeff Snee, Arco’s Product and Procurement Manager. “We are making sun PPE, and particularly using sun cream, a priority this year – especially for those industries where people are exposed to the greatest risk.”
Acro’s tips for addressing the issue include:
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