Skin-care solutions provider Deb Ltd has partnered with cancer charity SKCIN to warn employers about the importance of minimising employees’ exposure to the sun.
Figures from Cancer Research UK reveal that 125,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year, making it the most common form of cancer in the UK. Ahead of Sun Awareness Week, which takes place between 2-8 May, Deb has joined up with SKCIN to promote sun safety and will make a donation to the based on its UK product sales.
Deb has also issued some advice to businesses to remind them that they have a legal duty of care to assess the risks of working in the sun. The firm advises outdoor workers to apply sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30, which will stop around 95 per cent of UVB rays and allows them to work in the sun for 30 times longer in the sun before burning. It also recommends that sunblock is applied every two to three hours even on a cloudy day, and it should also protect against UVA rays.
The company’s marketing director, Phil Spark, has urged employers to become familiar with the HSE’s six-point code for sun protection, which advises workers to cover up; apply sunscreen to all areas; pay particular attention to dry areas; reapply every two to three hours; drink plenty of water; and check skin regularly for unusual moles or spots.
SKCIN marketing and business development manager, Charlotte Fionda, added: “SKCIN welcomes the opportunity to work with Deb and we are pleased to see that outdoor workers are now able to select an efficacious sun-protection product that will protect them while exposed to the sun at work. In general, the higher the SPF and, in particular, the higher the UVA rating, the better the sun screen is.”
