June 2018

Safe in the Sun
CONTRACTORS, ARE YOU PLAYING
IT SAFE IN THE SUN?
Every year, 60 outdoor workers die from skin cancer and yet 86% of construction
workers admit they don’t wear adequate sun cream! Katie Prestidge, from Marley Eternit,
asks are you one of the ones putting yourself at risk? plus offers ten top tips to stay safe
in the sun on site.
Roofers may not think they are at risk because the weather in this country isn’t that hot, but skin
cancer rates are actually rising faster in the UK than in any other part of Europe. Yet, 90% of skin
cancer deaths are preventable by taking simple sun safety precautions.
As well as covering up, wearing suncream is very important but it is only effective when it is used
properly. That’s why, this year, we are focussing on safe sun cream use. As well as giving away free
mini bottles of suncream on carabiner clips, we’re issuing some important safety advice to make it
easier for site workers to keep themselves safe in the sun.
10top tips for staying safe in the sun on site:
“If you’ve got a bottle of
last year’s sun cream
lying around in your
van, check it hasn’t
expired”
1. Don’t let the British weather fool you; up to
80% of dangerous UV rays can get through a
cloudy sky. Make sure you apply sun cream, even
when it is cloudy.
2. If you’re unsure when you need to use sun
cream, check the UV index on the weather
forecast or on one of the free phone apps. This is
a good way to see whether you need sun
protection that day.
3. Where possible, cover up. Keep a shirt or
jacket on and consider following the Australian
example of using long sleeved, lightweight, UVprotective
PPE.
4. Wear a hard hat at all times, preferably with
a brim and flap that will cover your ears and the
back of your neck.
5. Don’t leave exposed skin unprotected. Use
sunscreen with an SPF of at least 25 and
remember to reapply regularly throughout the day.
6. If you’ve got a bottle of last year’s
suncream lying around in your van, check it
hasn’t expired. Sun cream generally has a shelf
life of two to three years and that’s only if it’s
stored properly.
If there isn’t an expiry date on the bottle, look out
for a small symbol of an open pot. This tells you
how long you can use the cream for once opened,
e.g. 18 months. When you open a new sun cream,
write the date on the bottle – that way you know
how old it is.
7. Apply sun cream liberally – as a rough guide
use around a teaspoon for the face and neck, six
teaspoons for the whole body. Admittedly you’re
unlikely to be measuring suncream out on site, but
you get the idea. Most people only use around half
the amount they need.
8. Don’t rely on a once-a-day sun cream –
they are unlikely to give adequate protection on
site due to sweating and face wiping. In fact,
consumer watchdog Which? tested four
sunscreens labelled ‘once-a-day’ and found that
after six to eight hours, their average SPF
decreased by 74%. So if you’re using a ‘once-aday’
cream, it is best to put it on in the morning
and reapply at lunchtime.
9. Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated. In
very hot, hard-working conditions, experts have
found that workers on site can lose up to 1.5
litres of water in sweat every hour! The Health
and Safety Executive recommends drinking 250ml
(or a cup) of water every 15 to 20 minutes in hot
weather to replace the fluids lost through sweat.
So, where it is safe to do so, keep individual
containers of cool, clean water within easy reach
at all times.
10. Make sure you take rest breaks in shaded
areas and take time to drink fluids, as well as
eating food to replace essential electrolytes
(sodium) that have been lost through sweat.
Get a free mini bottle of sun cream while stocks
last by sending your name and email address to
info@marleyeternit.co.uk. For more advice
about staying safe in the sun, visit:
Contact Marley Eternit
01283 722588
www.marleyeternit.co.uk
@MarleyEternit
30 TC JUNE 2018