OSHA Recommendations

OSHA is now recommending that workers exposed to sunlight be given some suggestions to safeguard them from the harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Sunlight is the main source of UV radiation, which can cause eye damage, premature aging of the skin, and Skin Cancers, such as melanoma. Skin Cancers and deaths resulting from melanoma are increasing rapidly in the U.S. even though we have seen a decline in other cancers.

Unprotected employees working in sunlight risk exposure to UV radiation. Outdoor workers with fail skin and hair, freckles, or numerous irregular moles are especially susceptible to Sun damage. Even a few serious sun burns can increase the risk of Skin Cancer.

OSHA offers a pocket card on harmful Sun exposure. It states that workers should use a Sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher, and that Sunscreen should be applied frequently throughout the day. Even though OSHA is now recommending employers provide information and protection, it seems inevitable that in the very near future it will become more than just a recommendation.

Sunscreen Checklist

• Check Ingredients: Look for Sunscreens containing Zinc Oxide which deflects almost all UVA-UVB rays.
• Use SPF 30+ which will filter 97 percent of the UVA-UVB rays.
• About 80 percent of the UVB rays get through clouds.
• Even the shade is not safe: Up to 85 percent of rays are reflected off Sand, Water, Concrete, and Snow.
• Even moderate exposure to full sun increases a construction workers risk of eye damage, premature skin aging and Skin Cancers from UVA/UVB radiation.

Sun exposure is the most preventable risk factor for all skin cancers, including melanoma.

• Generously apply a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 to all exposed skin. "Broad-spectrum" provides protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Re-apply approximately every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after sweating and toweling or after being in water.
• Approximately one ounce of sunscreen, or a handful, is considered the amount needed to cover the exposed areas of the body.
• Be thorough. Zinc oxide will block the UVA/UVB rays but it must cover exposed skin.

A tan is the skin's response to injury caused by UV exposure. Tanning occurs when ultraviolet rays penetrate the epidermis, the skin's outer layer causing the production of melanin as a response to the injury. Every time you tan, you damage your skin and this damage accumulates over time. This accumulated damage, in addition to accelerating the aging process, also increases your risk for all types of skin cancer.

Chronic exposure to ultraviolet light, both natural and artificial, results in a change in the skin's texture, causing wrinkling and age spots. Thus, tanning to improve appearance is ultimately self-defeating.

Please, pass on this information to family and friends…there is no safe way to tan. At Prime, we aim to help our families and friends to be SUN SAFE.

Information provided by the American Dermatology Association.