Measurements of erythema effective ultraviolet irradiance in artificial tanning devices in Switzerland

Artificial tanning devices expose users to ultraviolet radiation and are associated with an increased risk of skin cancer. To protect users, Swiss legislation, among other requirements based on the SN EN 60335-2-27, limits the total erythema effective irradiance of artificial tanning devices to $$\:0.3\:\text{W}/{\text{m}}^{2}$$ . Additionally, only UV-Type 3 devices may be used in unsupervised settings. From 2022 to 2024, Swiss cantonal authorities conducted a nationwide measurement campaign to assess compliance with the limits. For this, a portable measurement system, based on a stray-light-suppressing array spectroradiometer was developed and evaluated against precision double-monochromator measurements. The developed system achieved comparable accuracy while enabling rapid in-situ conformity assessments. Overall, 1’521 individual measurements were performed on 436 artificial tanning devices across Switzerland. While $$\:66\:\text{\%}$$ of the measured devices complied with the legal limit for the total erythema effective irradiance, only $$\:38\:\text{\%}$$ met the criteria of UV-Type 3 devices. After corrective actions on previously non-compliant devices, follow-up measurements showed that $$\:50\:\text{\%}$$ of all tested devices were compliant. The results demonstrate the suitability of the developed measurement system and reveal substantial compliance deficiencies, highlighting the need for continued inspection of artificial tanning devices.