AI illustrationEmployers
Meet your duty of care. Give your crews something they use every day.
A sun-protection programme is one of the few health and safety controls workers notice and use daily. It also closes a gap auditors and buyers increasingly ask about.
Compliance
Where sun protection fits in South African law
There is no UV-specific regulation, but the general duties apply. This is general information, not legal advice.
OHS Act 85 of 1993, section 8
Employers must provide and maintain, as far as reasonably practicable, a working environment that is safe and without risk to health, identify hazards and provide information, training and supervision. Solar UV and heat are hazards for outdoor work.
OHS Act, section 14
Employees must take reasonable care of their own health and safety and follow the lawful health and safety instructions given. A written policy makes those instructions clear.
Construction Regulations, 2014
Regulation 9 requires a documented risk assessment by a competent person, with control measures, kept in the site health and safety file. UV exposure belongs in it for outdoor crews.
Mine Health and Safety Act 29 of 1996
On mines, the employer must identify hazards and assess and control the risks to health. Surface operations carry high UV and reflection.
COIDA 130 of 1993
Injuries arising out of and in the course of employment are recorded and, where required, reported. Sunburn and heat illness at work count.
Procurement and tenders
Buyers score health and safety plans in functionality evaluations, and some sunscreen tenders specify the product in detail. A documented programme gives your bid evidence.
What an auditor will want to see
- A dated UV risk assessment per site or job group
- A signed sun-safety policy
- Toolbox talk and training attendance records
- Stocked sunscreen stations and issued PPE
- Supervisor daily checklists
- Sunburn and heat incidents recorded and reviewed
Employee benefits
What your workers get
Protection at the point of work
SPF 50 broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen in pump stations and tubes, free to the worker, where and when it is needed.
Cooler, safer shifts
Shade at breaks, smarter scheduling and water reduce heat strain as well as UV.
Clear routines
A morning UV briefing and reapply calls at 10:00, 12:00 and 14:00. No guessing.
Knowledge that lasts
A 10-minute toolbox talk and a leaflet on checking your skin, for every skin type.
Eyes protected too
Wrap-around UV safety glasses and hat brims cut glare and reflected UV.
Dignity and care
A visible sign that the employer takes outdoor workers' health seriously.
Why it matters in South Africa
In 2024 the National Cancer Registry recorded 8 730 basal cell carcinomas in men and 7 101 in women, among about 27,000 laboratory-confirmed skin cancers (NCR 2024 via CANSA).
WHO and the ILO estimate that working under the sun causes about one in three deaths from non-melanoma skin cancer (WHO and ILO, 2023).
Midday UV across most of the country reaches the WHO "extreme" band (11+) on clear summer days. Check daily forecasts from the South African Weather Service.
AI illustrationSite Packs
Pick the coverage your crews need
Per 25 workers a month, 12-month term, Sun Station on loan. Excl. VAT with the VAT-inclusive amount shown.
Starter
Partial-shift coverage (about 8 ml per worker-day)
R 2,950 a month per 25 workers excl. VAT (R 3,392.50 incl.)
Request a Starter quoteStandard
Most of the shift (about 19 ml per worker-day)
R 5,450 a month per 25 workers excl. VAT (R 6,267.50 incl.)
Request a Standard quoteFull Compliance
Full-day coverage with 2-hourly reapplication
R 8,450 a month per 25 workers excl. VAT (R 9,717.50 incl.)
Request a Full Compliance quoteSPF 50
broad spectrum (UVA/UVB)
Batch + expiry
on every pack, checkable online
Made in SA
for Health Brands SA (Pty) Ltd
Sun Stations
installed free on loan with a Site Pack
Protect your outdoor team this week
Start with a free UV risk assessment: about five minutes, an instant score, ranked actions and a branded PDF for your safety file.