And finally… Taps aff on building sites no more?
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Seeing builders stripped to the waist as they work on construction sites could be a thing of the past, thanks to a new Heriot-Watt University project that will send personalised sun-exposure text message warnings direct to their smartphones.
Researchers at the University’s School of Life Sciences will work with colleagues from the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) and construction companies BAM Nuttall, Laing O’Rourke and Bovis Homes to change the behaviour of construction workers, minimising the risk of skin cancer and maximising the health benefits of the ‘sunshine vitamin’, D.
The project, commissioned by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), will aim to reduce workers’ exposure to UV radiation among those at risk, or increase exposure and encourage dietary changes among those who may not get enough sunshine to synthesise vitamin D.
Speaking about the project, Professor John Cherrie, said: “It is vital that construction workers get the right amount of sun and of vitamin D, without getting sunburned, which increases their risk of developing skin cancer.”
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