Sun safety at work: a needs assessment of occupational sun protection among outdoor workers in the Netherlands

Objectives: Outdoor workers face sustained exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR), increasing their skin cancer risk. This study reports a needs assessment concerning the health problem (sunburns and consequences), risk behaviours (inadequate sun protection), and underlying determinants among outdoor workers in the Netherlands.Methods: Questionnaires (n=348) and semi-structured interviews (n=20) among outdoor workers in the Netherlands explored sunburn prevalence, occupational sun protection behaviours, and determinants.Results: Outdoor workers reported high sunburn prevalences and insufficient occupational sun protection. Behavioural determinants included low perceived susceptibility and severity of sunburns and skin cancer, knowledge gaps, negative attitudes towards sun protection, perceived norms of individual autonomy, and the lack of supportive environments.Conclusions: The results call for effective occupational sun protection strategies on the individual level and within workplace environments.