A Downpatrick construction company is making sure that its employees look after their skin as the summer fast approaches. The Polly Group has joined with a local pharmacy chain in an initiative to protect its workers skin from the harmful affects of the sun. Employees will now be given sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) ranging from 20 to 50, to use when working outdoors.
Colm Murtagh, Health and Safety Officer from the Polly Group said he was pleasantly surprised by the reaction of the men on site. "Initially we didn't know how the boys would react to it, but as time has gone on, people understand that skin cancer, especially in men has risen a lot over this last number of years."
He also added that the building industry itself was experiencing change and, "There has been a culture, I think, that the building industry is a macho sort of industry. The culture is changing and people are understanding that their health is a lot more important than having this macho image."
The company is encouraging all site foremen to set an example to their workers, and the move is likely to please the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSE NI), which has recently called for better protection of workers in construction jobs.
