WHO and ILO Estimate Nearly 19,000 Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Deaths in 2019 Linked to Outdoor Work

Nearly 1 in 3 deaths from non-melanoma skin cancer is caused by working under the sun, according to joint estimates by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization. In 2019 alone, 18,960 people in 183 countries died from non-melanoma skin cancer due to having worked outdoors in the sun. The majority, 65%, were male.

The joint estimates by WHO and ILO were published in the journal Environment International. They establish occupational exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation as the work-related risk factor with the third highest attributable burden of cancer deaths globally.

Skin cancer deaths attributable to occupational exposure to sunlight increased by 88% from 10,088 deaths in 2000 to 18,960 deaths in 2019.

6 billion people of working age, defined as 15 years or older, were exposed to solar ultraviolet radiation while working outdoors in 2019. That total represented 28% of all working-age people. WHO and ILO estimated the number of people exposed based on 166 million data points from 763 surveys for 96 countries and areas covering all six WHO regions, with the exposure survey data collected between 1 January 1996 and 31 December 2021.

Occupational exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation is associated with an estimated 60% increased risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer. The 60% increased risk estimate was based on a pooled analysis of 25 case-control studies with 286,131 participants living in 22 countries across three WHO regions, according to a WHO report of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

"Unprotected exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation at work is a major cause of occupational skin cancer," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

He added that there are effective solutions to protect workers from the sun’s harmful rays and prevent their deadly effects. "A safe and healthy working environment is a fundamental right at work," said Gilbert F. Houngbo.

He stated that death caused by unprotected exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation while working is largely preventable through cost-effective measures. Non-melanoma skin cancer refers to a group of cancers that develop in the upper layers of the skin. The two main subtypes of non-melanoma skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

Skin cancer develops after years or even decades of exposure, which is why workers must be protected from solar ultraviolet radiation at work from young working age onwards. Governments should establish, implement and enforce policies and regulations that protect outdoor workers from sun-induced skin cancer.

Protective measures for outdoor workers should include providing shade, shifting working hours away from solar noon, education and training, and equipping workers with sunscreen and personal protective clothing.

Personal protective clothing includes broad-brimmed hat, long-sleeved shirts and long trousers. Protective measures should be implemented when the ultraviolet index is 3 or higher. WHO, ILO, the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme launched the SunSmart Global UV App.

The SunSmart Global UV App can be used by outdoor workers to estimate their exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation. In addition, measures to reduce skin cancer risks include raising workers’ awareness of when occupational exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation occurs and that it causes skin cancer, and by providing services and programmes to detect early signs of skin cancer.

The term working age typically refers to the minimum age at which a person is legally permitted to work in a particular jurisdiction.

In many countries, the minimum working age is 15 years.