title: The risk of skin cancer from occupational exposure to ultraviolet radiation in hospitals.
abstract: The risk of skin cancer in subjects who are occupationally exposed to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in hospital phototherapy departments has been estimated using a mathematical model based on age and annual UVR exposure. Measurements have shown that the median UV dose received by staff during an 8 h working day is one-fifth of the recommended maximum permissible exposure. This level of exposure increases the risk of skin cancer during a working life of 40 years by about 25% compared with non-exposed workers. Comparison with ionising radiation workers in hospitals indicates that the risk of death from an occupationally induced cancer is about 30-50 times less in UV workers.
authors.affiliation: Regional Medical Physics Department, Dryburn Hospital, Durham, UK.
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Diffey
mesh_terms: D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000209:etiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*