Skin cancer and outdoor work: A guide for employers

What it contains

Workers who spend all or part of their day outdoors are at risk of developing skin cancer from sun exposure. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) damages all skin types. This damage is permanent and gets worse with every exposure. This document tells you:

• the types of outdoor roles most at risk of sun damage
• facts about skin cancer, UVR and heat illness
• your legal duty to protect workers
• how to tell when workers are at the highest risk of sun damage
• other factors that increase the risk of sun damage (photosensitivity)
• how to identify, assess and reduce or eliminate these risks
• how to teach workers about sun safety and checking their own skin
• how to develop a workplace sun protection policy

At the end of the document, you'll find a sample workplace sun protection policy and tools for more information or advice. You'll also find a list of terms used in this document and what they mean.