Masonry Magazine August 1999 Page. 41
The Sun You're In
In most places, July and August are our hottest months. But regardless of whether it's March or December, the sun still shines. Though it's probably the leading factor in job-site productivity, the sun also might be one of your worst enemies on the job site.
Most likely, you've heard warnings on the evening news that too much sun isn't good for your health. However, you might not realize just how bad it is for you. After all, isn't a little tan healthy? One statistic answers that question: Every hour, one American dies from skin cancer.
Construction workers are notorious for good tans. If you're working outside, you're bound to absorb some rays. However, this isn't one of the "perks" of the job. Medical research shows that the more sun you get, the more likely you are to be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer. As the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) puts it: "A tan doesn't prevent sun damage, it is sun damage."
The Summer Bake
According to an exclusive Job-Site Supervisor survey of 316 construction professionals, construction workers spend an average of six to eight hours working outdoors every day from May to September-peak summer construction months. They may not know that sun damage is cumulative, meaning you don't wipe the slate clean every year. Time you spend in the sun builds up year after year and its effects on your skin multiply.
According to the AAD, more than 90 percent of all skin cancers occur on body parts most exposed to the sun: face, neck, ears, forearms and hands. A survey the AAD conducted also found that only 40 percent of Americans feel it's very important to protect themselves from the sun.
Countries such as Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom have launched major education and training campaigns to educate workers in agricultural and construction industries about the dangers of sun exposure and damage. In the United States, while we're concerned with issues such as fall protection and respirator regulations, little is done to educate workers about dangers of sun exposure. You've probably never seen OSHA issue a citation for "Failing to Wear Sunscreen."
Skin Cancer Types
Skin has three layers: the top layer is the epidermis, the middle layer is the dermis and the bottom layer is the subcutis. This will be useful as you read about the most common types of skin cancer below.
Melanoma
Melanoma skin cancer, while less common than non-melanoma skin cancer, is far more deadly than its counterparts. Melanoma, according to the American Cancer Society, is a cancerous tumor that begins in the skin cells that produce skin coloring (melanin). It usually appears in a mole, causing the mole to be irregularly shaped, colored or to change quickly. Melanoma, while usually curable in its early stages, is more likely other skin cancers to spread to other parts of the body. When this happens, chances of survival drastically decrease. Melanoma accounts for about 4 percent of skin cancer cases, but 79 percent of skin cancer deaths, says the American Cancer Society. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the overall incidence rate for melanoma is increasing faster than the rate of any other cancer. About 50 percent of all melanoma cancer occurs in people over 50 years old and nearly all melanoma deaths occur in white men 50 and older.
Basal Cell
About three-fourths of all skin cancer cases are basal cell cancer, which begins in the lowest layer of the epidermis. A slow-growing cancer, it's unusual (but not impossible) for basal cell cancer to spread to other parts of the body. If left untreated, this cancer can grow into nearby bone or other tissue beneath the skin. According to the American Cancer Society, 35 to 50 percent of patients with one basal cell cancer will develop a new skin cancer within five years of their first diagnosis. This cancer might appear as a flat, scaly, red area or a small raised, translucent, shiny area. It might have one or more fine red lines in it or it may also have blue, brown or black areas.