Study finds U.S. regulations ignore UV light as workplace hazard

A study published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology found that U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations do not classify solar ultraviolet radiation as a workplace hazard. The research noted that outdoor workers experience up to 10 times more UV exposure than indoor workers. This study highlighted that the U.S. lacks safety regulations to protect workers from unsafe UV light exposure, a standard implemented in countries like Germany and Australia.

The study identified that outdoor workers face a 77% increased risk for developing squamous cell carcinoma compared with the general population. The lack of federal standards regarding UV exposure is noted despite decades of research showing the risk, making sun exposure an occupational hazard for many workers.