Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will mandate the Health and Safety Executive to audit businesses employing outdoor workers to ensure that high factor sunscreen is provided on site.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recognises the health risks posed by working in the sun in industries such as agriculture and construction. HSE’s guidance is informed by the NHS’s position and is available here: Skin at work: Outdoor workers and sun exposure - HSE.

The information in HSE's guidance encourages employers of outdoor workers to include sun protection advice in routine health and safety training and advises workers to keep covered up during the summer months. Where possible direct exposure to the sun should be avoided, for example by working in the shade. Employers should assess the risks and determine the best control measures.

Sunscreen with a protection factor of SPF30 or above, as per NHS guidelines, should be used to complement these measures and deal with any residual risk, but not as the primary protective measure.

HSE has a range of tools as its disposal to ensure employers are acting in accordance with their legal duties.