TRADIES BEWARE: The Health Risk You're Exposed To At Work

More than half of Australian tradies are reportedly putting themselves at risk of skin cancer by choosing to wear shorts and t-shirts at work.

To combat the Australian heat, 51 per cent of tradies told ServiceSeeking.com.au they wear shorts and t-shirts to keep cool on the job, despite the dangers of both sunburn and using high-powered equipment.

According to the Cancer Council NSW's Skin Cancer Prevention Manager Liz King, two in three people who grow up in Australia will get skin cancer in their lifetime.

"Tradies are at a higher risk of developing skin cancer due to being exposed to the sun for extended periods of time," Ms King said.

"Men over 40 are also at greater risk – they are twice as likely to die from melanoma as women of the same age."

In NSW, UV levels are high enough to damage unprotected skin most days of the year, even on cloudy and cold days.

Being outdoors all year round, Safe Work Australia recommends tradies use sun protection all year round due to the damage UV can do to skin which is exposed to UV for extended periods.

"It is inevitable that many tradies have to work in the sun, but setting up a routine that protects your skin from harmful UV rays is easy with the right gear and the right attitude," Ms King said.

"Download the free SunSmart app if you want to know more about UV and check UV levels in your local area every day."

And there’s another simple way for tradies to reduce their risk – simply covering up will lower their chance of being sunburnt and most can claim up to $300 in sun protective workwear on their tax return.