The CIEH has welcomed recommendations by a Welsh Assembly Government committee to ban unsupervised coin-operated sunbeds.
The CIEH has long campaigned to ban the use of sunbeds by under 18s and the provision of unsupervised facilities, and to ensure facilities provide supervision by well-trained staff.
CIEH Director for Wales Julie Barratt said:
“These recommendations are comprehensive and if implemented will make a major contribution to protecting individual’s health.
“We consider it particularly important that children are protected and a complete ban on use of these facilities by under 18s is welcomed. We will press for the recommendations to become law in Wales as quickly as possible.”
The National Assembly for Wales’ Health and Wellbeing Committee held a three month inquiry in which the committee heard a range of evidence, including from the CIEH.
Committee Chair Darren Millar AM said:
“Despite the fact the evidence suggests that sunbeds can cause skin cancer, tanning salons seem to have escaped effective regulation.
“Self regulation within the industry, while welcome, has failed to prevent some of the horror stories we have seen here in Wales where children as young as 10 have suffered serious burns using these unsupervised salons.
“Young people must be protected from the risks of unsupervised salons in the future.”
In line with evidence given by the CIEH, the committee recommends:
- Use by under 18s is prohibited
- Use by other high risk groups is discouraged
- Facilities provide full-time supervision by well-trained staff
- Use of protective eyewear is compulsory
- Information setting out the potential health risks of using sunbeds is prominently displayed and provided to all users
- Information containing unproven health benefits of sunbed use should be prohibited from premises
- Written informed consent is obtained from all clients prior to use
- Facilities should not be allowed to use sunbeds that do not comply with both the British and European Standards on sunbed irradiance levels
The committee requests that the WAG should immediately seek the power from Westminster to allow it to put these recommendations into practice.
Notes to editors
- The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) is the professional voice for environmental health. It ensures the highest standards of professional competence in its members, in the belief that through environmental health action people's health can be improved
- The CIEH represents over 10,000 members working in the public, private and non-profit sectors. For more information about the CIEH visit www.cieh.org
- For further information please contact James Davis on 0207 827 6303 or email j.davis@cieh.org.