NEW data reveals that Australia’s tradies in Queensland aren’t acting to protect themselves from the sun, despite exposure to skin cancer causing ultraviolet radiation (UV) up to 10 times the rate of indoor workers.
Nearly a third of Queensland tradies surveyed in a Cancer Council study only rarely or occasionally wear sunscreen in the summer months.
In winter this drops even more, with half of Queensland tradies surveyed (50 per cent) only rarely or occasionally applying sunscreen, despite exposure to skin cancer causing UV up to 10 times the rate of indoor workers.
Unsurprisingly, more Queensland tradies surveyed (67 per cent) know colleagues who have had skin cancer compared to tradies surveyed in other states, and almost four in 10 Queensland tradies surveyed (38 per cent) have been treated for skin cancer or a suspicious spot themselves.
While around half of Queensland tradies surveyed are confident explaining their favourite sport (49 per cent) or how to cook the perfect steak (45 percent), over eight in 10, the highest of any state, admit they can’t explain how UV works, or its relationship to ‘Australia’s national cancer’.
With nine in 10 Queensland tradespeople surveyed (91 per cent) spending time outdoors on a typical workday, and over four in 10 (49 per cent) spending more than four hours working outside, the Australian Government and Cancer Council are urging tradies in the Sunshine State to protect themselves against UV whenever they are outdoors.