CITY of Maribyrnong outdoor workers will be sporting eye-catching water backpacks as part of new sun protection policy for Maribyrnong Council staff.
More than 140 workers will make use of the orange backpacks, including those employed in the works centre, local laws and traffic officers and school crossing supervisors.
Maribyrnong mayor Michael Clarke said the packs were part of a strategy to reduce workers’ exposure to ultraviolet radiation and conditions caused by heat exposure, including heat exhaustion and sunstroke.
“The new uniform fabric for our local laws officers will have a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) rating, and we plan to ensure all new uniforms for outdoor staff offer extra sun protection,” he said.
The exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun causes skin and eye damage and is the main cause of skin cancer in Australia. One in two Australians will develop skin cancer at some stage in their lives, with skin cancers accounting for about 80 per cent of all new cancers diagnosed each year in Australia.
