Occupational exposure to ultraviolet radiation - Not a standard for all [3]

With Australia having the highest incidence of skin cancers in the world1 and with around 800,000 workers routinely exposed to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation and artificial sources of UV in Australia,2 occupational exposure to UV radiation is a significant public health issue for our nation. This issue gains further significance when it is considered that outdoor workers are often inadequately protected and exposed to extremely high UV levels. In fact, a recent study of construction workers in Queensland found that around 95% of worker exposures exceeded the current exposure standard and that only 10% were adequately protected.