Outdoor workers' acceptance of personal protective measures against solar ultraviolet radiation.

The acceptance and usability of personal protection against solar UV radiation was evaluated in a field study with a group of tinsmiths in Austria. The personal protective measures (PPM) tested involved four categories: shirts, headwear, sunglasses and topically applied sunscreens; at least six different products per category were tested. Recommendations for the "ideal" shirt, headwear, pair of sunglasses and topical sunscreen are given based on data from questionnaires, i.

Parameters influencing the accuracy and practical applicability of UV indicator cards.

In order to evaluate the potential hazard for the skin and the eye presented by solar ultraviolet radiation, and to take appropriate precautions, it is necessary to characterise the biological effective irradiance or dose. Recently, inexpensive UV indicator cards became available that in principle would provide an attractive means to roughly indicate the local level of erythemal solar UV irradiance. We have characterised the properties of a number of different types of UV indicator cards.