Next week is sun awareness week (9 – 16 May 2016) and the Donna Annand Melanoma Charity (DAMC) is asking everyone to raise awareness of the importance of checking your skin by wearing checked clothing (e.g. gingham, tartan etc) on Friday 13 May 2016.
Every year in Jersey:
- on average 300 islanders are diagnosed with some form of skin cancer;
- on average 40 islanders are diagnosed with Malignant Melanoma; and
- on average 3 islanders die from Malignant Melanoma.
If you work outside at this time of year or if you are enjoying the predicted Liberation Day weather, the Sun Safety Alliance (SSA) has these sun-safety tips to help prevent serious skin damage:
- Keep in mind the sun is strongest between 10 am and 4 pm;
- Wear clothing that’s dark and tightly woven;
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses;
- Remember that UV rays bounce off sand, snow, concrete, and water;
- Do not use sun tanning beds;
- Keep very young children (6 months or younger) out of the sun;
- Sunscreens need to be applied liberally and evenly over all exposed areas;
- Apply a sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or higher whenever you’re outdoors. To achieve adequate UV protection you should use products that provide broad spectrum protection, which means protection against both UVB and UVA rays. For broad spectrum protection, look for products that provide an SPF of at least 15 and contain ingredients like Avobenzone (Parsol 1789) or zinc oxide;
- For children, the SSA recommends sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher;
- Apply sunscreen before going outdoors and reapply often;
- Reapply sunscreen after swimming, perspiring, and toweling off;
- Provide complete sunscreen coverage for your skin (including neck, ears and lips!);
- For people with thin or thinning hair, apply sunscreen to the scalp as well;
- And remember – stay in the shade whenever possible!
If you would like more health and safety advice on how to protect your workforce during outdoors working, please contact Patrick Guyomard on 01534 887088 or email patrick.guyomard@lawatworkci.com
