A reminder to farmers and crofters to take steps to reduce the risk of long term harm from the sun, has come from Leigh Smith, Chair of Melanoma Action and Support Scotland. Leigh told RSABI that given farmers can be out in the sun for long periods, they should be applying a minimum of Factor 30 sun protection.
“Farmers are outside much of their working day and they need to be really careful. Baseball caps might shade the eyes but they don’t provide protection for the back of the neck, so they should think about the type of hat they use.
“A good quality pair of sunglasses will help to prevent cataracts forming as a result of exposure to UV, which can also cause premature aging and sunburn. Areas like the ears can be particularly vulnerable to some types of skin cancers and the sun could cause damage even through the glass of a tractor cab.”
There are a range of sun protection options including sprays which can make application easy to use when hands are dirty from working outside.
The RSABI team has this week spoken with farmers worried about skin cancer, and the advice is if you spot any changes on your skin to contact you GP or other health professional as soon as possible.
Many thanks to Doug Bell of Scottish Tenant Farmers’ Association for demonstrating good practice.