THE RESULTS of a recent online survey have revealed an urgent need for sun protection awareness training within the roofing industry.

The survey, conducted by SIG Roofing in partnership with SKCIN, a national charity specialising in the prevention and early detection of skin cancer, showed that:

Over 95% of roofers reported repeated sunburn due to working outdoors
63% confirmed that they never, rarely, or only sometimes use sunscreen
60% admitted intentionally exposing unprotected skin to get a sun tan
28% stated that using sunscreen took too much effort
45% only use sunscreen on hot, sunny days

Over 75% of roofers who took part in the survey said they have worked outdoors for more than 15 years, putting them in a very high-risk group for skin cancer.

Additionally, 28% of the respondents reported suffering from sunburn more than 20 times due to working outdoors.

SIG Roofing says the survey shows it is evident that more education is needed regarding the damaging effects of UV radiation and the importance of using combined sun protection measures, including applying a high SPF (Sun Protection Factor) sunscreen with the correct frequency.

Sun Protection Awareness Training

Kathryn Clifford, Co-Founder of SKCIN, said: “The results may be alarming, but they do not surprise me.”

She explained that this was the reason the charity developed the national Sun Safe Workplaces accreditation and training programme for employers of outdoor workers and why SIG Roofing signed up to raise awareness at scale through their 100+ branch network.

“Prevention is better than cure, however for many working across the industry, the damage is already done. Where prevention fails, the early detection and diagnosis of skin cancer can make significant improvement in patient outcomes and ultimately save lives,” Kathryn continued.

“With almost half (48%) of respondents unaware of how to check their skin for signs and symptoms of skin cancer, this further validates the need for educational intervention.

“The Sun Safe Workplaces training programme educates outdoor workers on this vital element of awareness, giving them the knowledge and confidence to recognise changes that could indicate the early warning signs and the importance of getting concerns checked out as soon as possible by their GP.”

Sun-Safe Practices

Sunburn is strongly linked to the development of melanoma, the most serious life-threatening form of skin cancer.

But it’s not just sunburn that increases the risk of skin cancer. Even tanning of the skin (a habit of 60% of respondents) is a clear sign of sun damage. UV damage is cumulative and irreparable and is responsible for 90% of the UK’s most commonly diagnosed cancer.

Annually, there are over 230,000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer and 17,500 cases of melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer) diagnosed.

Up to 90% of skin cancers are preventable by adopting simple sun-safe habits to your daily routine. Skin cancer is the only cancer we can physically see developing in its early stages, and if detected, diagnosed and treated early enough, almost all cases are curable.

SIG Roofing is currently using the Sun Safe Workplaces training programme to educate its branch staff on sun-safe practices, as well as how to recognise the early signs of skin cancer and the importance of conducting regular self-examinations.

All SIG Roofing branches will also have sunscreen stations dispensing SPF30+ sunscreen, free for colleagues and customers to use, by the end of June.

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