Riverina workers in industries most exposed to ultraviolet radiation from the sun have urged residents to be vigilant about skin cancer as summer approaches.
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As of November 17, the Bureau of Meteorology shows that various parts of the Riverina had UV ratings of 8–11 or more, which are in the very high and extreme categories.
Further, the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows 4232 residents from the 2650 postcode work in the five industries with the highest UV exposure.
Those industries are agriculture, forestry and fishing; mining; electricity, gas, water and waste services; construction; and transport, postal and warehousing.
Richard Pottie, managing director of Ladex Construction in Bomen, said “being sun smart is an issue we always consider”.
“Certainly things like sunscreen awareness is often discussed in our pre-start meetings,” he said.
Mr Pottie said that there had been no major radiation issues at Ladex Construction due to the cultural changes and perception of the issue.
“It’s pretty good now, especially among the younger employees – I think there’s a better culture of skin-cancer awareness now than in previous years,” he said.
Mr Pottie encouraged other employers to “look after your workers”.
“Keep them indoors or under shade as much as possible and do high-exposure jobs in the early hours,” he said.
ABS data in 2016 showed that more than 2000 Australians die from skin cancer each year.
Further, in 1997–2016, skin cancer was one of five leading cancer types to cause deaths in younger Australians (0–39 year olds).
“Most skin cancers are caused by overexposure to UV radiation from the sun,” the findings read.
Campbell Meeks, winemaker at Boutique Wines by CSU Wines, said that sun safety was “always at the forefront of those in the industry”.
“For us, it’s always high-vis vests, long sleeves and broad-brimmed hats year round,” Mr Meeks said.
“It’s become an automatic behaviour now – choosing not to have the right amount of protection would have to be a conscious choice.”
Sharing the sentiments by Mr Pottie and Mr Meeks is SunSmart manager Heather Walker, who said residents need to ensure sun protection is high on the agenda as UV levels continue to rise.
“Because we’re still getting those cool and cloudy spring days, people can get caught out,” she said.
“But it’s the sun’s UV – not heat – that damages your skin, causing sunburn, tanning and skin cancer.”
With UV levels already high, Ms Walker said those outdoors needs to get their sun protection sorted.
