In case you missed the opportunity to talk to your employees about sun safety last week (June 1-7 was Sun Safety Week), you still have time. The summer sun has yet to get its fiery hottest, and our Safety Training Tips editor says that now is a great time to hold a safety meeting to warn employees about sun hazards.
The risks are real. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, unprotected exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun will cause mutations in the skin. Some of those mutations can lead to one of three kinds of skin cancer—basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Basal cell is the least serious of the three, and melanoma is the most serious. Melanoma can be fatal if not caught and treated early. Symptoms of developing skin cancer include:
- Change in the size or color of a mole
- A sore that doesn’t heal
- Any skin growth that increases in size (larger than a pencil eraser could mean a cancerous growth)
- A mole of irregular shape or one with uneven borders (normally moles are round)
- A spot on the skin that itches, hurts, or keeps scabbing
The fix is easy. Wearing sunscreen is a fundamental strategy for preventing skin cancer. The Skin Cancer Foundation makes these recommendations about proper use of sunscreen:
- Apply in advance
- Apply enough
- Reapply frequently
- Use broad-spectrum products with a high SPF (sun protection factor)
Don’t rely on sunscreen alone—also minimize sun exposure during the hottest part of the day (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), cover up (hat and clothing that covers skin), and wear sunglasses (UV radiation can damage eye tissue).
Risks vary, but anybody could develop skin cancer. People at greatest risk of getting cancer from the sun are those who:
- Always burn when they’ve been out in the sun
- Have red or blond hair, green or blue eyes, freckles, and fair skin
- Have a family history of melanoma (about 1 in 10 people diagnosed with melanoma has a family member who had melanoma)
But anybody can develop skin cancer from exposure to the sun. To make sure that skin is free of developing cancers, employees should check their bodies from head to toe every 3 months. If they notice any of the symptoms listed above, they should see their doctor right away.
Why It Matters …
- Americans of all ages develop skin cancer every year as a result of long-term overexposure to the sun.
- UV radiation causes mutations that in many cases eventually develop into skin cancer, which, in the case of melanoma, can be fatal.
- Almost all skin cancer that is diagnosed early and treated promptly can be cured.
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