Welcome back! July is a bit of a head scratcher for me and workplace wellness, because this month’s theme is Sun Health. On the surface the topic is timely and practical. However, when it was time to write my blog, I blanked. I would wager, most of my audience is indoors, at a desk. Aren’t we all fluorescent light vampires at this point?
So, what to do?
Go to WebMD and the CDC website, of course.
All joking aside, these sites offered great resources and made connections I hadn’t originally thought about. Sun safety isn’t just for landscapers and construction workers. Sun safety and health can apply to all of us, especially while we’re taking our walking breaks or enjoying our lunch break outside.
So, what do we need to know?
- Skin cancer is most diagnosed cancer; 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.
- Peak sun hours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Minimum SPF 15.
- Throw away sunscreen after 1 year, definitely after 2 years.
- Reapply every 2 hours.
- Wide brimmed hats and 100% UV protection sunglasses are more than a fashion statement.
Now what? How can we help?
- Education. Provide education for managers and employees regarding basic sun safety topics, tips and reminders, skin cancer basics, and the ABCDE rule of melanoma detection, to name a few topics.
- Environmental Changes. Provide a sunshade in an outdoor employee area or create an employee area under a natural sunshade; provide sunscreen stations (similar to hand sanitizer stations) in or near outdoor break areas.
- Community Partnerships. Connect employees with a local dermatology office or contact one about onsite skin screenings, bonus points if you perform a Benefits review first and communicate your findings to employees.
- Worksite Challenges. UV Safety Challenge, H2O Challenge
More Resources
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. For more in depth information and skin cancer awareness.
- NIOSH Fast Facts Flyer. Protecting Yourself from Sun Exposure.
- EPA Sun Safety
Conclusion
And now you know, or at least like me, have some ideas about incorporating sun safety into your worksite’s culture of health and wellness. We will spend roughly 1/3 of our lives at work, don’t we deserve to take care of ourselves at our place of work too. We want health and wellness baked into your worksite, so that making the healthier choice is the easier choice. We can help with that!
Thanks for hanging out and taking the time to read this article. I hope you’ll consider joining the movement of health and wellness at your workplace.
Stay Active!
Kelly Fox
Workplace Wellness Director
Active Southern West Virginia