Those working outdoors need to make sure sun protection is high on the agenda as UV levels continue to rise.
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So do their employers, because protective uniforms are not enough, according to SunSmart Manager Heather Walker.
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The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data which shows 2,873 residents from the 2830 postcode work in the five industries with the highest UV exposure.
Those industries are agriculture, forestry and fishing; mining; electricity, gas, water and waste services; construction; and transport, postal and warehousing.
With UV levels already high as summer approaches, Ms Walker said anyone working outdoors needs to get their sun protection sorted.
“Because we’re still getting those cool and cloudy spring days, people can get caught out. But it’s the sun’s UV – not heat – that damages your skin, causing sunburn, tanning and skin cancer,” Ms Walker said.
Employers need to be mindful of the risks too and ensure workers have everything they need.
“People who work outdoors need year-round sun protection that includes clothing, a broad-brimmed hat, sunscreen and eye protection, as well as control measures like shade and regular breaks to reduce their UV exposure,” she said.
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Ms Walker said training, good policies and practices are also needed.
It’s estimated at least 200 melanomas and 34,000 other skin cancers diagnosed in Australia each year are the result of UV exposure in the workplace.
That’s almost the entire population of Dubbo.
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