New estimates of occupational exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation and the attributable burden of non-melanoma skin cancer were published in Environment International. These WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury are the first official estimates on this pair of occupational risk factor and health outcome.
In the press briefing, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, launched the new WHO/ILO Joint Estimates. Globally in 2019, an estimated 1.6 billion people were exposed to solar ultraviolet radiation in the workplace. Almost 19 000 people died and 500 000 years lived in complete health were lost due to non-melanoma skin cancer attributable to occupational exposure to sunlight. Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director, Environment, Climate Change and Health, and Dr Frank Pega, WHO Technical Lead, described the findings and actions that governments can take to reduce this hazardous exposure.
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WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury