Press Release

Sunbed restrictions disappointing says CIEH

25 April 2008

Proposed guidance on reducing health risks from tanning salons by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been branded a disappointment by the CIEH.

The HSE has published a consultation document revising industry guidance on sunbed usage as a step in supporting the Government’s Cancer Reform Strategy.

But the CIEH state that the guidance will not provide any legal basis to prevent the use of sunbeds by children, or the operation of unstaffed facilities – regulation the public health charity has campaigned for.

Principal Policy Officer Jenny Morris said:

“The use of sunbeds is inherently dangerous and has been linked with the rising number of skin cancer deaths.

“We welcome the move by the HSE to provide more detailed guidance on the health risks involved but we would urge the Government to go further.”

The CIEH believes that there is sufficient evidence to justify a ban on under 18’s using sunbeds and to prevent the operation of unmanned facilities.

“There are no effective controls on the use of unmanned salons, which are often used by those under 16 and most at risk of long term skin damage and skin cancers,” Ms Morris continued.

Research by the CIEH in Wales has found that more than half of tanning salons surveyed, both manned and unmanned, will allow children under 16 to use a sunbed. And a staggering 88 percent of premises would allow a customer to have a tanning session every day despite the risk of skin cancer.

The Department of Health recently asked the HSE to review its guidance on the use of sunbeds to replace rules set in the 1990s.

The review is to support the 2007 Cancer Reform Strategy aim of reducing the incidence of skin cancer.