Just because its winter doesn’t mean you should be giving the sunscreen and skin protection the shove.
It's a familiar scene on sites across the country: summer ends, the temperature drops, the high-vis goes on over a thermal, and the sunscreen, wide-brimmed hat and sunnies get left at home. After all, it's winter — the sun's not going to cause any damage now, right?
Wrong. For those who work outdoors in the construction trade, the threat of harmful UV rays doesn't clock off when the season changes. And the statistics behind that statement should be enough to make everyone on site take notice.
New Zealand has one of the highest incidence rates of melanoma in the world — and the highest mortality rate. More New Zealanders die from skin cancer each year than from road accidents. And almost all skin cancers — over 90% — are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. As at-risk occupations go, where outdoor work is a way of life, the construction industry is in the danger zone.
The Winter Myth
A common misunderstanding is that sun protection is to be associated with hot days, blue skies, and beach weather. But Melanoma New Zealand is clear, the dangerous UV rays from the sun are with us year-round, including during winter.
UV radiation is not the same as heat. You can't feel or see UV. It doesn't require a scorching summer's day to damage your skin's DNA. On an overcast winter's morning on a rooftop in Wellington or a concrete slab in Christchurch, UV rays are still penetrating cloud cover and reaching your skin or eyes.
UV intensity can sometimes even be amplified in winter conditions common to construction sites. Proximity to concrete, water, corrugated iron roofing, or glass walling can create reflection that can intensify UV radiation. And for those working at elevation — whether that's multi-storey construction or a high hillside site — UV radiation increases with altitude. It is stronger the higher you go.
The Accumulation Problem
One of the insidious things about UV damage is that it's cumulative. Every hour you've spent on a site without protection over a 20-year career adds up. The skin doesn't forget. Over time, that build-up of UV exposure leads to damaged skin cells and an increasingly significant risk of melanoma and other skin cancers.
Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. It can spread rapidly and, if left unchecked, can become life-threatening. The critical point — and the hopeful one — is that if caught and treated early enough, it is almost always curable. The problem is that by the time many people notice something is wrong, it may have already progressed.
For construction workers, the areas of highest risk are those most frequently exposed and least often considered: the back of the neck, the ears, the forearms and the face. These are the places that spend the most time facing the sun while a worker's attention is fixed on the task at hand.
The main risk factor for skin cancer is regular unprotected sun exposure, yes. However, other factors that may contribute to skin cancer, including melanoma, include:
- family or personal history of skin cancer
- fair skin
- red, blonde or fair hair
- skin type that burns easily
- skin damage due to sunburn
- sunbed use
- many moles and larger moles
- immunosuppression
Māori and Pacific people have a much lower chance of developing melanoma, but often have more serious melanomas. It is skin type, not ethnicity that predicts risk.
What Melanoma New Zealand recommends all year round
Melanoma New Zealand's advice is unambiguous: sun protection is not a seasonal habit. It is a year-round practice, as is an annual full body skin check with a dermatologist of skin specialist. Here's what they recommend:
Sunscreen — and use it properly
Use sunscreen that is at least SPF 30, broad-spectrum, and water-resistant — compliant with Australian/New Zealand Sunscreen Standard AS/NZS 2604:2012. Apply it 20 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours, or more frequently if you're sweating heavily. Melanoma New Zealand recommends a "two-coat approach" — two applications before heading out for better coverage.
When the UV index is forecast to reach 3 or above, sunscreen should be applied every day to the face, ears, scalp (if uncovered), neck, and all exposed parts of the body. This threshold is regularly reached across much of New Zealand even on cloudy days.
Cover up
Clothing is your first line of defence. Long-sleeved shirts with collars, long trousers, and UV-protective fabrics (marked with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor rating) provide a physical barrier that sunscreen alone cannot replicate. Applying a sunscreen that is at least SPF 30, broad spectrum and water resistant, is integral to protecting your skin, and is one of the preventative methods recommended by Melanoma New Zealand. These include:
Wear the right hat
Whenever not wearing a hard hat where needed on site, a broad-brimmed hat with at least a 7.5cm brim is recommended between jobs. A cap, however convenient to throw on, does not protect the neck, ears, or sides of the face as well as a wide-brimmed hat.
Protect your eyes
UV radiation damages eyes as well as skin, contributing to conditions including ocular melanoma. Wrap-around UV-protective sunglasses meeting the Australian/New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS 1067:2016) are the gold standard.
Seek shade and plan your work
Where possible, schedule the most UV-intensive tasks — those done in the open, at height, or on reflective surfaces — for early morning or late afternoon. Consider your site layout. Can temporary shade structures be erected for break areas? Can work be rotated so no single worker has unbroken sun exposure throughout the day?
Employer Responsibilities
This isn't just about personal responsibility. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, employers have a duty of care to protect workers from identified hazards — and UV radiation is an identified hazard. Employers must take steps to minimise UV risk as far as is reasonably practicable.
In practical terms, this means providing appropriate PPE including sunscreen, broad-brimmed hats, and UV-protective clothing; scheduling high-exposure tasks outside peak UV hours where possible; setting up shaded rest areas; and actively encouraging — not just permitting — sun protection practices on site.
Employers who fail to take these steps face not only the human cost of a worker diagnosed with skin cancer, but potential legal exposure under the HSWA, which carries fines of up to $1.5 million for violations.
Check Your Skin
Beyond protection, early detection is your safety net. Melanoma New Zealand runs a dedicated mobile spot check van, offering free skin cancer spot checks around the country. Every person working outdoors should develop the habit of checking their own skin regularly — looking for new spots, or moles that are growing, changing colour, or changing shape. Check out Melanoma New Zealand’s video guide on how to check your skin here.
You can also refer to Melanoma New Zealand’s A-G guide about what to look for:
The first sign is often a change in the size, shape or colour of an existing spot, or the appearance of a new spot. Don't wait for your next annual GP visit – get it checked as soon as you notice a change or something new. Early diagnosis is the difference between a straightforward treatment and a life-threatening situation.
Protect the skin you're in. Not just in summer - every day, on every site, in every season.
For more information on melanoma prevention and free skin cancer spot checks, see:
