Sun exposure on outdoor jobs

Anyone working outside is exposed to the sun's ultraviolet rays, and as of 2025, skin cancer costs Americans more than $100 million a year in lost productivity from restricted activity or missed work. UV reaches you on cloudy days too, and bounces off concrete, sand, water and snow, all common on a job site. Shade, clothing and scheduling come first, with sunscreen on the skin they don't cover.

Plan the day around the sun

• Move the hottest jobs early. UV is strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daylight saving time in the continental U.S. Schedule exposed work, like roofing, paving or mowing, for early morning instead of midday.
• Rotate the crew. Trade workers between sunny and shaded tasks to limit each person's time in the sun.
• Check the UV Index. Protect skin whenever it's 3 or higher.

Set up shade

Put up a tent, canopy or other shelter for breaks, or a cooling station. Workers in the shade still need sunscreen and protective clothing.

Dress for it

• Long sleeves and long pants. Tightly woven fabric protects best, and darker colors generally block more UV. Wet or sweaty fabric protects less than dry.
• A brimmed hat. Choose one that shades the face, ears and back of the neck. Canvas works well, and loosely woven straw doesn't. A baseball cap leaves the ears and neck exposed, so cover them with sunscreen or clothing.
• Sunglasses that block UVA and UVB. Wraparound styles block light from the sides too.

Sunscreen

• Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher on all exposed skin, and put plenty on.
• Reapply at least every 2 hours, and after sweating heavily or toweling off. Build reapplying into the breaks.
• Wind, humidity, sweat and how it's applied all affect how well it works.
• Check the expiration date. A sunscreen with no date lasts no more than 3 years, and heat in a truck cab shortens that.

An annotated example

What to do next

Pack a canopy for shaded breaks, check the dates on the crew's sunscreen, and schedule the most exposed work for early morning during the summer months.