Few U.S. Outdoor Workers Routinely Using Sunscreen, Survey Finds

"There are very real dangers associated with sun exposure that are often overlooked in the workplace," said Isabelle Faivre, vice president of marketing for Deb North America, which has its headquarters in Charlotte, N.C. "Organizations should educate outdoor workers on proper sun protection and provide sunscreen for use daily."

  • May 04, 2016

A survey commissioned by Deb Group and conducted online by Harris Poll among U.S. adults who work outdoors at least half the time found that just 18 percent of them always wear sunscreen at work. This, despite an estimate by the American Academy of Dermatology that more than 8,500 people in the United States are diagnosed with skin cancer every day, according to Deb Group, which released the findings May 3.

"There are very real dangers associated with sun exposure that are often overlooked in the workplace," said Isabelle Faivre, vice president of marketing for Deb North America, which has its headquarters in Charlotte, N.C. "Outdoor workers are at a higher risk of developing skin cancer and other ailments related to increased sun exposure. Organizations should educate outdoor workers on proper sun protection and provide sunscreen for use daily."

According to Deb, the study found that 58 percent of outdoor workers said they always or sometimes see a need to wear sunscreen at work, but 71 percent of said their employers don't provide sunscreen to them for use at work. "Perhaps that is why 59 percent of outdoor workers always or sometimes bring their own sunscreen to work," the company reported.

Deb Group said it is campaigning to raise awareness of the risks associated with prolonged UV exposure for people who spend a significant amount of time outside as part of their job and offers a collection of educational materials for managers and employees to implement an effective sun safety program, including a manager's guide, an infographic, blog posts, posters, and presentations. For more information or to request a free trial, visit info.debgroup.com/sun-home-us.

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