A family-run builders’ merchants has teamed up with a multi-award-winning sunscreen applicator business on a campaign aimed at sun safety for construction workers.
J&A Phillips Builders Merchants based in Newport is running the Sun Safety On-Site campaign alongside Solar Buddies.
The online and in-store campaign, which will focus on promoting sun safety awareness within the UK construction and building industry, comes in response to recent data highlighting the high incidence of skin cancer attributable to sun exposure in the construction industry.
According to studies carried out at Herriot Watt University, it’s estimated that an outdoor construction worker in Britain could accumulate sufficient solar UV exposure over 30 to 40 years of work to more than double their risk of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC).
Construction Management Magazine also finds that construction workers constitute 44% of all occupational skin cancer diagnoses and 42% of occupational skin cancer deaths each year.
Michael Birch, Director of J&A Phillips, said:
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Solar Buddies on this important initiative. As a company deeply rooted in the construction industry for over 40 years, we understand the risks our customers face when it comes to sun exposure. This campaign is about taking proactive steps to protect our customers and raise awareness about the importance of sun safety.”
Kelli Aspland, Co-Founder of Solar Buddies, added:
“Our mission at Solar Buddies has always been to make sun safety accessible and convenient. We believe this collaboration with J&A Phillips will allow us to reach more people in the construction industry and make a real difference in promoting sun safety. The goal of the campaign is to educate construction workers about the risks of sun exposure and encourage behaviours such as seeking shade, covering up, and regularly applying sunscreen, particularly between the hours of 10am and 4pm, when the sun is at its strongest.”
The Federation of Master Builders also encourages businesses to implement a sun safety policy that includes training, provision of sun protection equipment, and regular reminders for workers to prioritise sun safety.
J&A Phillips will be the first builders’ merchants in the UK to stock the sunscreen applicators, which will complement Solar Buddies’ existing retailers including Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and Boots.
Solar Buddies founders Kelli Aspland and Laura Waters appeared on BBC’s Dragons’ Den in 2023, receiving a total investment of £80,000 from business tycoons Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden.
