We reported on the new Cal-OSHA initiative to educate employers and
employees on how to prevent heat-related illness. Employers and employees should
also take the time to understand how to prevent another sun hazard that’s a
problem year-round: too much exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight can cause cataracts and skin cancer.
Workers with light skin or light hair are particularly vulnerable, as are those
with lots of moles or freckles.
To help prevent problems, it’s a good
idea to advise employees who are out in the sun to do the following:
- Wear sunscreen with an SPF factor of at least 15 that protects against
both UVA and UVB rays. - Wear a wide-brimmed hat that protects the neck, ears, eyes, forehead,
nose, and scalp. Baseball caps don’t provide sufficient
coverage. - Check the label on sunglasses: They should block 99 to 100 percent of
UVA and UVB radiation. - If possible, avoid or limit outdoor work between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.,
when UV rays are most intense.
Join us this fall in San Francisco for the California Employment Law Update conference, a 3-day event that will teach you everything you need to know about new laws and regulations, and your compliance obligations, for the year ahead—it’s one-stop shopping at its best.