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Skin Cancer Awareness

17 minutesSafety TrainingOSHA General Duty Clause; 29 CFR 1910.132(a); NIOSH Outdoor Worker UV Guidance
Quick Answer

Skin Cancer Awareness is a 17-minute online course that teaches employees about ultraviolet radiation exposure risks, skin cancer prevention strategies, and early detection methods for outdoor and UV-exposed workers. It is designed for outdoor workers in construction, utilities, landscaping, and other sun-exposed occupations and includes a downloadable certificate of completion.

Course Overview

Approximately 45 million American workers are regularly exposed to outdoor ultraviolet radiation as part of their jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The World Health Organization estimates that occupational UV exposure increases the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer by 60%, and skin cancer accounts for roughly one in three deaths globally from occupational cancer. The CDC reports that approximately $100 million in worker productivity is lost annually due to skin cancer-related work absence. Despite these numbers, many employers do not include sun safety in their workplace safety programs, leaving outdoor workers without the awareness and protective strategies they need.

This course provides your outdoor workforce with the knowledge to understand UV radiation risks, recognize the early warning signs of skin cancer, and adopt protective measures that reduce their lifetime exposure. Your employees will learn how UV damage accumulates over years of outdoor work, which skin changes warrant medical evaluation, and what protective equipment and practices are most effective for on-the-job sun safety. The course also addresses common myths about tanning and sun exposure that lead workers to underestimate their risk.

What You'll Learn

  • How ultraviolet radiation causes cumulative skin damage over time
  • Types of skin cancer including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma
  • Early warning signs and the ABCDE method for identifying suspicious skin changes
  • Sun protection strategies for outdoor workers including clothing, sunscreen, and shade
  • Common myths about tanning, sun exposure, and skin cancer risk
  • Employer responsibilities for protecting outdoor workers from UV hazards
  • The importance of regular dermatological screenings for outdoor workers

Who Needs This Training

  • Construction workers exposed to prolonged outdoor UV radiation
  • Utility and power line workers spending full shifts outdoors
  • Landscaping and grounds maintenance crews working in direct sunlight
  • Highway and road construction workers in sun-exposed environments
  • Agricultural and farming employees with sustained outdoor exposure
  • Supervisors responsible for outdoor crew safety and wellness programs

Regulatory Background

While OSHA does not have a specific standard for UV radiation exposure in outdoor work, the agency's General Duty Clause requires employers to protect workers from recognized hazards, and OSHA has stated that sun exposure is a recognized workplace hazard. Under 29 CFR 1910.132(a), employers must provide personal protective equipment including sun-protective clothing when environmental hazards cannot be eliminated through engineering or administrative controls. NIOSH has issued guidance recommending comprehensive workplace sun protection programs that combine administrative controls, protective equipment, and employee education. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with approximately 5 million cases treated annually at an estimated cost of $8.1 billion. Employers who operate outdoor worksites without sun safety programs face potential General Duty Clause liability, particularly when workers develop occupational skin cancer that could have been prevented through reasonable protective measures.

Frequently Asked Questions

In many jurisdictions, skin cancer developed by outdoor workers can be classified as an occupational disease eligible for workers' compensation benefits. The worker must typically demonstrate that their occupational UV exposure was a substantial contributing factor. Construction workers, agricultural workers, utility workers, and other outdoor occupations with documented years of sun exposure have successfully filed occupational skin cancer claims. Employers should be aware that inadequate sun safety programs can increase their workers' compensation exposure.
OSHA does not have a specific UV exposure standard, but the General Duty Clause requires employers to address recognized workplace hazards. OSHA has stated that sun exposure is a recognized hazard for outdoor workers and recommends that employers provide protective measures. Additionally, 29 CFR 1910.132(a) requires employers to provide PPE for environmental hazards, which can include sun-protective clothing and sunscreen when other controls are not feasible. Several states, including California, have more specific guidance on outdoor heat and UV safety.
The ABCDE method is a screening tool for identifying suspicious moles or skin lesions: A is for Asymmetry (one half differs from the other), B is for Border (irregular, ragged, or blurred edges), C is for Color (uneven color or multiple shades), D is for Diameter (larger than 6mm, about the size of a pencil eraser), and E is for Evolving (any change in size, shape, or color). Workers who notice any of these characteristics should seek prompt evaluation by a dermatologist.
Outdoor workers receive significantly higher cumulative UV doses than recreational sun users because their exposure is sustained over full work shifts, repeated across years or decades, and often occurs during peak UV hours. Research shows outdoor workers receive up to eight times more UV radiation than indoor workers. This chronic occupational exposure pattern is particularly associated with squamous cell carcinoma and its precursor, actinic keratosis.
The most effective measures combine multiple strategies: wearing UPF-rated clothing that covers the arms and neck, using a wide-brimmed hard hat attachment or sun shade, applying broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher sunscreen every two hours, scheduling intensive outdoor work outside peak UV hours when possible, and providing shade structures for break areas. Employers should make sunscreen readily available at the worksite and integrate sun safety into daily toolbox talks during high-UV months.
$24.95
per person
Volume Pricing
Team Size Price per Person
1 - 9$24.95
10 - 24$19.95
25 - 49$17.95
50 - 99$17.50
Subtotal $24.95

Certificate of completion included. Downloadable upon passing the final assessment.

$24.95
per person