Association of occupational sun safety policy and actions in state transportation sector in the United States. Issue 4 (4th January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Buller, David B.; Walkosz, Barbara J.; Olivas, Savanna; Eye, Rachel; Liu, Xia; Kinsey, Alishia; Buller, Mary Klein; Grayson, Andrew
• Is Part Of: American journal of industrial medicine. Volume 64:Issue 4(2021)
• Page Start: 274
• Page End: 282
• Publication Date: 2021-01-04
• Subjects: cancer -- occupational -- policy -- prevention -- skin; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Médecine du travail -- Périodiques; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1002/ajim.23214
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0271-3586

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Occupational sun protection is recommended by government health authorities. Sun safety policies and predictors of managers' reports of sun safety actions were assessed. Methods: Written policies from 21 state departments of transportation (DOTs) enrolled in a randomized trial to test methods for scaling‐up an occupational sun safety intervention were coded for sun safety content at baseline. Managers ( n = 1113) supervising outdoor workers reported on sun safety actions in a baseline survey. Results: Twenty state DOTs (95.2%) have a policy with at least one sun protection component. Sun safety training was increased at workplaces with a written sun safety policy ( p < 0.001) and unwritten standard procedures on sun protection ( p < 0.001). Reported sun safety actions were highest where there was a written sun safety policy ( p < 0.001) and unwritten standard procedures on sun protection ( p < 0.001). Conclusions: Policies are essential for the implementation of employee sun safety. There is room for improvement in existing policies of state DOTs.