A guide to sun safety for tradies

Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, with two in three* Australians diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. The Cancer Council says around 200 melanomas and 34,000 other skin cancers are diagnosed each year that are caused by UV (ultraviolet) damage in the Australian workplace*. This is why staying vigilant about sun safety is crucial for tradies, as Jack Channells, a painter from the Southern Highlands in NSW, found out.

Two years ago, Jack was quoting a job at the home of Jay Allen, unaware Jay is the CEO and founder of the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation.

When Jay noticed a nasty-looking mole on Jack’s neck, he initially thought it was black paint. But when Jack told him it was a mole, it set off alarm bells for cancer survivor Jay. It turned out to be a melanoma and was removed.

“I consider myself very lucky,” Jack says. “But I know a lot of people aren’t as lucky.”
Fortunately for Jack, further tests were negative for melanoma, but he admits the incident was a “massive wake-up call” to be vigilant when it comes to checking moles.

Jack urges tradies to have any moles they’re worried about tested before it’s too late. “It’s not going to hurt you to get a mole checked,” he insists.

What is the best sun protection for construction workers and tradies?

With summer here, as well as having a skin check, we look at the best ways you and your teammates can practice sun safety onsite, including:

• Using an app or your smart watch to tell you the UV level in your area and get reminder notifications to use sun protection. 
• Looking at portable shade solutions to bring on your jobs. 
• Using wearable UV technology, including wristbands, bracelets, smart hard hats and UPF50+ clothing.
• Following the five SunSmart steps. 

SunSmart Global UV app

As you may know, UV radiation can still be high on cloudy or cooler days, as well as on sunny ones. This free app gives you sun protection advice on your phone, informing you when UV levels can damage your skin – the motto is: “When the index hits 3, cover up from UV”.  The app will send you UV and sun protection alerts every day and give you live UV levels in Australia and throughout the world.

Smart watches and phones with UV tracking features

Tradies with an Apple Watch can use the Weather app to track the weather forecast and UV index. And, if you download the UV Index Widget from the app store, you can monitor your sun exposure and receive alerts when there’s a high risk of sunburn.

Garmin also has a UV index widget available to download, while Fitbit has a built-in weather app. If smart watches aren’t your thing, you could use a handheld UV meter to measure the intensity of UV radiation on a jobsite.

Many weather apps such as Bom weather also give the UV index for your location. 

Portable shade solutions

Shade is one of the best and easiest ways to protect against UV radiation, and good-quality shade can reduce UV exposure by up to 75 per cent. 

Portable shade options for tradies include:

Portable marquees, sun umbrellas and gazebos.

Wearable UV technology

This is a growing area for workwear and includes wristbands or bracelets with UV sensors which change colour to indicate it’s time to reapply sunscreen or get out of the sun.

Smart hard hats come with a sensor which changes from red to white when exposed to UV light, alerting the user the hat should be replaced. The site sun-a-wear.com.au sells a wearable UV tracker that gives you precise UV exposure data.

Cooling vests typically use cold gel packs to help you avoid heat stress, which is perfect for tradies working outside during the summer months, and long-sleeved shirts and other apparel with a UPF50+ rating are always a good idea.

Don’t forget the basics

While smart tech is getting smarter, the five SunSmart steps still need to be adopted by tradies to reduce their risk of skin cancer. The Cancer Council recommends the following:

1. Slip on protective clothing – long pants and work shirts with collars and long sleeves. 
2. Slop on SPF50 or SPF50+ broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen. Generously apply 20 minutes before you start working outdoors and reapply every two hours.
3. Slap on a broad-brimmed hat that covers your face, ears and neck from the sun. If you’re wearing a hard hat or a helmet, use a brim attachment for extra protection.
4. Seek shade wherever possible. Plan to work in the shade or indoors during the middle of the day when the UV is the highest.
5. Slide on sunglasses. Wear close-fitting wraparound sunglasses or tinted safety glasses that offer UV protection.

Jack says he now takes whatever steps necessary to reduce the risk of sun damage. “For me, it's wearing a wide-brimmed hat, long clothing, lots of sunscreen and trying to work in the shade as much as possible."

Want to learn more ways to stay safe on the job?

Check out our story on safety tips for construction site shutdown.

 

*Sunsmart: Sun Protection At Work