Why do some workers get more skin cancer?
Increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma based on solar ultraviolet radiation measurements from outdoor workers in Lisbon, Portugal
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
People who work outside all day, like gardeners or sailors, get more skin cancer because the sun hurts their skin over many years. This study measured exactly how much sun they got and found some got way more than others—even in the same job.
Surprising Findings
Sailors had the highest risk (2,093%)—higher than gravediggers or sanitation workers, despite being on water, not land.
People assume land-based jobs like construction get the most sun, but water reflects UV, amplifying exposure. This flips the script on where the real danger lies.
Practical Takeaways
If you work outside, wear a wide-brimmed hat, UV-blocking shirt, and take breaks in shade between 11 a.m.–4 p.m.—especially in spring/summer.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
People who work outside all day, like gardeners or sailors, get more skin cancer because the sun hurts their skin over many years. This study measured exactly how much sun they got and found some got way more than others—even in the same job.
Surprising Findings
Sailors had the highest risk (2,093%)—higher than gravediggers or sanitation workers, despite being on water, not land.
People assume land-based jobs like construction get the most sun, but water reflects UV, amplifying exposure. This flips the script on where the real danger lies.
Practical Takeaways
If you work outside, wear a wide-brimmed hat, UV-blocking shirt, and take breaks in shade between 11 a.m.–4 p.m.—especially in spring/summer.
Publication
Journal
Frontiers in Public Health
Year
2026
Authors
M. Paulo, Maria Miguel Castela, Claudine Strehl, Fernanda Carvalho, Tom Loney, A. Modenese, F. Gobba, Jorge Barroso-Dias, Cristina Pinho, Ana Rodrigues, T. Tenkate, Swen Malte John, Cara Bieck, L. Lapão, M. R. Maia, S. Westerhausen, M. Wittlich
Related Content
Claims (6)
Chronic ultraviolet radiation exposure is the primary etiological factor in the development of non-melanoma skin cancers, specifically basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, which frequently occur on sun-exposed facial regions and can result in significant structural disfigurement upon surgical excision.
People who work outside all day for many years, like gardeners or road workers, are much more likely to get a type of skin cancer called SCC than people who work inside, because of all the sun they’re exposed to.
Even among people doing the same outdoor job, some get way more sun than others—so some are much more likely to get skin cancer, depending on how they work and whether they use shade or sunscreen.
The safety limit for sun exposure at work is too low—many outdoor workers in Lisbon get 3–4 times more sun in a day than the current safety rule allows.
Wearing a sun exposure meter on the arm gives a much better idea of how much sun a worker gets than guessing based on their job title, making it a better tool to protect them from skin cancer.