Suncream for builders comes in free paint tins

UK retailer has teamed up with charity to develop a new suncream and raise skin cancer awareness in the construction industry.

Occupational solar exposure is often overlooked, but the risks of developing melanoma skin cancer are very high in the construction industry, due to long hours spent by tradespeople in the outdoors.

In an effort to raise awareness and make sun protection more accessible, British home improvement retailer Wickes has teamed up with skin cancer charity Sckin to develop a new range of suncreams. Tradesman’s Suncream comes in a paint tin and is available in three shades: Brickle’s Bronze, Plasterer’s Pink and Apprentice White. The suncream also includes tips on how users should apply the product, as well as links to sources customers can go to for further information. A free sample was offered at Wickes stores across the UK at the end of August.

The cream is aimed specifically at construction workers and tradespeople. The idea follows a survey carried out by Wickes on 500 tradespeople, which revealed that many who work in this particularly industry fail to apply any sun protection, despite regularly working in direct sunlight. The survey also revealed that many say they don’t have time, are embarrassed to use suncreams in front of co-workers or find them too expensive. Wickes head of brand & communications Matthew Gaunt commented: “It’s clear that there’s a real need here and we want to help tradespeople working outdoors get to grips with this issue”.

An initiative that is also backing the fight against skin cancer is Nurugo SmartUV, an app and accessory which allows users to check the condition of their skin under a UV light. As more and more innovations come to the fore to raise awareness of the dangers of skin cancer, could we see businesses who have outdoor workers adopting more safety protocols?