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Outdoor workers urged to protect their skin

Jake WallaceGuernsey
Getty Images A stock photo of a construction site. A worker in a high-visibility vest is looking away from the camera, and his arm is bent up, touching the brim of his hard hat. A blurred digger is in the background, and the sun is shining in the background. Getty Images
The strategic screening lead for public health said skin cancer rates in Guernsey were higher than in Spain

Outdoor workers exposed to Guernsey's high levels of ultraviolet (UV) light have been urged to make skin protection "a habit" as the island has "higher skin cancer rates here than in Spain".

The States of Guernsey said the island has a higher rate of both malignant and non-malignant melanoma skin cancer than the UK, but nearly 90% of cases could be prevented.

Strategic screening lead for Public Health, Diane Matthews, said UV levels of six or seven were common on the island, even in overcast or low temperature weather.

Matthews said it was "really important to normalise" skin protection for outdoor workers and people needed to create a habit of using sun cream and wearing wide-brimmed hats.

Matthews sat on a chair in a room with white walls. She is wearing a patterned top of multiple colours and is wearing a silver necklace. She has long ginger hair, which is tied back.
Matthews said there was no clear evidence as to why skin cancer rates are so high in Guernsey

Matthews is giving a presentation on skin protection for people who work outside on 18 June.

"Our UV isn't necessarily much higher than the south of England, but our skin cancer rates are higher than parts of Europe, so we have higher skin cancer rates here than in Spain, for example," she said.

"We are nearly double those of England for malignant melanoma, so that's the more serious side of skin cancer, and we're about 68% higher on the non-melanoma skin cancers as well.

"Our UV remains high, so we'll still have the UV of about six, seven and fairly low temperatures,

"We don't notice it because there's cloud cover or we're not feeling too hot, so we can't feel our skin burning.

"Roughly 100 skin cancers are seen in people of working age, and obviously, if it is your job to work outside, then we should be supporting those people to protect their skin."

Her team has already worked with the State's Property Unit to provide workers with sun cream.

"They've also modified a ride-on lawnmower to have a large umbrella shade attached to it so that you have shade," she said.

"So maybe it is about making it fun and also working with the staff to say you don't want to be at risk because of your job either.

"So there are things that can be done working together rather than always telling people what they should do.

"I think it's really important to normalise it like that."

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