F. A. z exclusive: The big skin cancer risk for construction workers

In the Corona pandemic, a construction worker, at least in one respect an advantage: In the open, the Virus is spreading more difficult than in the Metropolitan area of the office. Other health risks, which occur in particular professions in the Outside, not to let but certainly not the sun.

Dietrich Creutzburg

economic correspondent in Berlin.

F. A. Z.

The Berufsgenossenschaft Bau, the statutory accident insurance for the industry, observed with concern that UV radiation is the largest source of danger for construction workers. More and more frequently their occupational physician must consider the suspected occupational skin cancer disease.

Many suspected cases

With a total of 3131 reported suspect cases made of sun-induced cancer of the skin in the past year, almost a quarter of all reported occupational diseases in the construction industry – more than any other diagnosis. This is a new evaluation of the Bau-Berufsgenossenschaft, the possession of the F. A. Z. pre-shows.

In comparison to the previous year, the number increased to 187 or six percent. In addition, it points to the follow-up costs: The expenses for medical treatment, Rehabilitation, and pensions were in the year 2019, with 14.3 million Euro, almost twice as high as in 2017.

According to obtain the profession demonstrates a cooperative now about the results of a survey of trainees of different trades of the construction industry: The effort to get more advice and Provision, were reinforced some time ago, also through new legislation, are therefore only partially successful. Although the information to the young people – but many do not draw the hoped-for conclusions.

Only a few to protect yourself

Specifically, 91 percent of the respondents were informed that UV radiation is dangerous. In addition, 83 percent knew that long-sleeved clothes protect us from it. At the same time, 57 percent, expressed the view that a normal sunburn is not dangerous. Only 20 percent of the young people interviewed said that they rays protection from the sun important to be on the increase. Just 17 percent reported that they regularly use sunscreen. And only 15 percent to protect radiation with long sleeve, clothing from the scorching sun.