How does my workplace measure up?
About the assessment
Creating a sun safe workplace starts with understanding where you currently stand.
Many organisations assume they are doing enough to protect outdoor workers from UV exposure, but assumptions can leave gaps, and those gaps can put workers at risk.
A simple risk assessment helps you uncover what's working well, what needs to be stronger and where small changes will make a big difference. It gives you a clear picture of your workplace's level of sun safety and the real risks your workers face every day.
Australia has some of the highest UV levels in the world, and outdoor workers can get up to 10 times more UV exposure than indoor workers. Make sure your organisation is protecting its people as effectively as possible by taking stock of your current systems, behaviours and controls.
Before you start
Gather a few key pieces of information before completing the UV risk assessment.
Things to think about are:
- your current policies or guidelines related to sun exposure
- any PPE or sun protective clothing you provide or should provide
- how your teams typically schedule and carry out outdoor tasks
- whether workers have access to shade, sunscreen, protective eyewear and training about UV risks.
Make it happen
- Consult with your workers at this stage of the sun safe journey. Speak with supervisors or team leaders about the day-to-day realities on the ground about:
- what gets in the way of sun-safe behaviour
- where protection could be improved
- what workers say they need.
- This will make your assessment more accurate and meaningful. It also helps you identify the people who need to be involved in improving systems or supporting new practices once the results are in. Engage early and often to get buy-in from key staff.
The assessment is your chance to step back, evaluate and strengthen your approach to UV safety. It brings clarity to what can otherwise feel like a complex issue, and empowers your workplace to reduce risk, prevent harm and build a culture where sun protection is seen as essential for everyone.
Workplace UV risk assessment tool
Use our assessment tool to evaluate your workplace's sun safety practices across key areas including policy and leadership, risk assessment, shade and environment, work scheduling, PPE, training, and monitoring.
The tool will help you identify gaps and prioritise improvements to protect your outdoor workers.
Take the assessment