People who work in construction are at a higher risk of skin cancer than any other industry. Over exposure to the sun is a major contributing factor to the high number of cases affecting workers in the construction sector.
Construction workers account for 44% of occupational skin cancer diagnoses, with over 1300 cases each year.[1] The risks are high and the effects can be devastating. HSE estimates indicated that for every fatal accident in 2012-13, approximately 100 construction workers died from a work-related cancer.[2]
Lots can be done to protect workers against over exposure to sunlight. Cancer Research UK report that 86% of melanoma skin cancer cases are preventable.[3] There can be a considerable amount of time between exposure and developing symptoms, so it is vital to take precautions and protect construction workers now to prevent skin cancer later in life.
What are the risks?
Over exposure to sunlight is harmful for your skin. The damage is caused by ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight which can cause burns in the short term and ultimately lead to skin cancer.
Working outside for extended periods of time puts construction workers at higher risk of UV exposure than workers in other industries and the general public. The tasks and work rate means construction workers need to take extra precautions to be able to work comfortably and safely.
Additional risk can be introduced when shirts or other items of clothing are removed in order to cool down, which increases UV exposure. Construction workers need practical ways to keep cool while remaining protected against sun exposure.
How to protect workers
Simple measures and easy-to-use equipment enables safe and comfortable work in hot conditions without compromising on skin protection.
The HSE website provides a guide to protection against sun exposure for outdoor workers:
- Keep your top on.
- Wear a hat with a brim or a flap that covers the ears and the back of the neck.
- Stay in the shade whenever possible, during your breaks and especially at lunch time.
- Use a high factor sunscreen of at least SPF15 on any exposed skin.
- Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
- Check your skin regularly for any unusual moles or spots. See a doctor promptly if you find anything that is changing in shape, size or colour, itching or bleeding.
Skin Protection Safety Helmet Accessories
PPE can help to protect construction workers from sun exposure. Clothing and accessories with UV protection are tested to ensure the products are effective in blocking UV radiation. UV protective clothing and accessories tested to EN 13758-1 are assigned an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) according to their performance.
Safety helmet neck capes are a key element of sun protection for construction workers. The neck is otherwise exposed when wearing helmets that are mandatory on site, and this repeated exposure can be extremely dangerous when overlooked. Neck capes are specially designed to fit the safety helmet, along with other compatible products, to ensure that the neck cape can remain in place while wearing all required PPE, and that the performance of other helmet-mounted equipment is not compromised by incompatible accessories.
Find out more about safety helmet neck capes.
Other considerations
It is also important to protect the eyes against UV exposure. Learn more about UV protective eyewear here. Protect against heat stress with cooling helmet sweatbands. Learn more about cooling sweatbands here.
More information
HSE – https://www.hse.gov.uk/skin/sunprotect.htm
Cancer Research UK – https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/sun-uv-and-cancer
We Build the Future Stay SunSafe campaign – https://webuildthefuture.org/campaigns/sun-safe-on-site/
[1] https://webuildthefuture.org/campaigns/sun-safe-on-site/
[2] https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/cancer-and-construction/key-points.htm
[3] https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/melanoma-skin-cancer