The sun is out during the summer in the Sunshine State, and the sun emits Ultraviolet light than can damage one’s eyes and skin. July is UV Awareness month. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure can cause skin cancer if you do not take steps to limit your exposure to UV rays.
What is Ultraviolet Radiation?
UV rays come from the sun and they make up a small portion of the sun’s rays. However, they are the main cause of damage to the skin due to the sun. Skin cancer can be caused by UV rays when they damage the DNA of genes that cause skin cell growth. While sunlight is the main source of UV rays, tanning lamp and beds also give of damaging UV rays.
There are 3 types of UV rays:
- UVA rays- These rays are linked to long term skin damage such as wrinkles and can cause skin cancer. Tanning beds usually give off large amounts of UVA.
- UVB rays- These rays have more energy than UVA rays and are the main cause of sunburn. They directly damage the DNA of skin cells and cause most skin cancers.
- UVC rays- These rays have the most energy but they are not in sunlight and they do not get through our atmosphere.
The strength of UV rays depends on the time of day, season, distance from the equator, altitude, and cloud cover. In the summertime, UV rays tend to be stronger. The amount of exposure you get to UV rays depends on the UV ray strength, the length of time spend outside, and if your skin is protected by sunscreen or clothing.
Protect Yourself from UV Light
Workers who are outside all day on the jobsite in the hot summer sun need to protect themselves from UV radiation to prevent skin cancer. Luckily there are some easy ways you can limit your exposure:
- Look for shade
- Wear protective clothing
- Use sunscreen
- Wear a hat
- Wear sunglasses that block UV rays
- Limit exposure between 10am and 4pm when UV rays are the most intense
When you wear sunscreen and protective clothing, you can block most of the sun’s UV rays from damaging your skin which will reduce your risk of skin cancer.
GBTS Improves Safety of Jobsites
GBTS is a construction safety consulting company with offices across the US. We understand how important it is to stay safe from UV rays and other hazards on the job. GBTS provides temporary safety solutions for jobsites. We work on major projects with the goal of keeping the public and workers safe. Contact us to learn how we can help you!