Tradies in Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay aren’t doing enough to protect themselves from exposure to damaging sun rays, new data reveals.
Of the tradies surveyed, 24 per cent said they only rarely or occasionally wear sunscreen during summer, and in winter it goes up to 46 per cent.
On a typical workday 89 per cent of tradespeople said they spend time outdoors.
The “concerning” findings were released as part of a SunSmart campaign by the Australian Government and Cancer Council, urging Australians to be sun smart.
Cancer council chief executive Tanya Buchanan noted their regular outdoor work means tradies are at an even higher risk of developing skin cancer.
“Tradies are known to have high standards when it comes to safety on site, but this data shows many aren’t fully considering sun safety as a part of their daily routines,” she said.
“Despite two-thirds of respondents (66%) being concerned about developing skin cancer, over a fifth (22%) don’t believe sunscreen is necessary every day.”
“A few minutes each day to follow the 5 s’s can help prevent skin cancer caused by UV – regardless of the time of year – so it’s important for tradies to remember to be SunSmart,” Dr Buchanan said.
