Nine out of 10 sunbeds in England emit ultraviolet radiation levels that exceed current safety limits

Abstract

SummaryBackground Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight is recognized as the principal cause of skin cancer. Moreover, sunbeds have been classified as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Despite this, there is a shortage of objective data on UV exposure levels in sunbeds in England. Objectives We set out to measure UV emission levels in sunbeds at sites around England, and to compare these levels with both current standards and natural sunlight. Methods Between October 2010 and February 2011, UV spectra were measured on site from a total of 402 artificial tanning units in England. Measurement instrumentation was calibrated, traceable to the National Physical Laboratory. Compliance with the relevant British and European standard was determined, and a skin-cancer weighting factor was used to compare the carcinogenic potential of sunbeds with that of sunlight. Results For compliance with the European standard, erythemal-effective irradiance should not exceed 0AE3 W m )2 . The values that we measured ranged between

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