Sun Awareness Week: Protect Your Outdoor Workers
With hints of summer starting to appear we at Alliance Online feel it is time for our annual awareness drive on sun protection products. This year it coincides with Sun Awareness Week (1st – 7th May) which is a campaign run by the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) to increase the national understanding of the risks associated with prolonged sun exposure.
The campaign has a two-prong approach to sun awareness combining prevention advice with detection information. The two main aims are:
- To encourage regular self-examination for signs of skin cancer
- To teach about the dangers of sunburn and excessive tanning
We at Alliance Online appreciate how important these two goals are and want to promote them to our customers who have workforces which operate outdoors.
What damage can the sun cause?
In today’s world we know more about the impact of the sun’s rays than ever before and the importance to protect ourselves against them. Cancer Research UK much like BAD are leading campaigners for more awareness surrounding the impact sun has on our skin, and they report that up to 9 in every 10 cases of melanoma skin cancer could be prevented with sun safety strategies.
The link between skin cancer (both non-melanoma and melanoma) and sun exposure is a well-established one with the NHS advising that anyone with sun-damaged skin being at a slightly greater risk of developing kin cancer.
Sun damaged skin can also develop into a number of different spots or bumps with the most common being actinic keratoses (sometimes called solar keratosis) which are hard, slightly rough areas of skin typically growing to up to 1 or 2 centimetres in diameter. Another quite common skin condition which sun damage can lead to is Bowen’s disease which displays as small scaly red area which grows very slowly.
Who is most at risk?
With that being said, there are some people who are at greater risk than others with the following being labelled as having a higher risk than most:
- Fair skin that burns easily
- Light coloured eyes: blue, green or hazel
- Blonde or red hair
- Numerous freckles
- Those who have worked outdoors or had heavy sun exposure in the past
- Those who have already had skin cancer before
How to protect yourself and your staff?
The NHS guidelines state that the sun is at its strongest in the UK between 11:00am and 3:00pm from March through to October. As such where possible during these periods you should aim to make sure you:
- Spend time in shade between 11am and 3pm
- Do not burn
- Cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses
- Use at least factor 30 sunscreen
When looking to choose protective sun cream consider how much time you spend in the sun and at what time of the day this exposure occurs. If you have staff who regularly work outdoors then consider providing them with SPF50 sun cream as a way of protecting them against the effects of sun damage.
At Alliance Online we understand how important skin protection is and as such we have ensured we stock the best sun protection cream on the market so our customers can be assured they are buying the best quality product. Our Stokoderm SPF50 sunscreen is made for professional use to protect against harmful UVA, UVB and UVC rays. It absorbs quickly with a non-greasy after-feel, is perfume free and benefits from a water-resistant formula.
For more information about how Alliance can help your outdoor staff, or how we can improve your alfresco dining areas, contact us on 01270 252 333 or email us on hello@allianceonline.co.uk.
