Skin Cancer is a Jobsite Risk

In March, I went to my dermatologist for an annual body scan. As a 44-year-old with skin inherited from Irish and Welsh ancestors, this is crucial to my health.

Especially since I don’t notice anything, even when it’s on my face.

Seconds into the examination, the physician assistant said, “That mole on your left cheek looks funny. Has it always looked like that?”

“What mole?” I said.

She removed the mole from my cheek, near the corner of my eye. A few weeks later, when I was walking on a cobblestone street in Prague, they called me with the news: the biopsy revealed that I had basal cell carcinoma.

There are three main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.

I am fortunate that it was basal cell carcinoma and not melanoma, which is the most dangerous. BCC progresses slowly and does not often spread to other parts of the body.

BCC is the most common form of skin cancer, appearing in 80% of all cases.

In late-May, I had Mohs surgery to remove the cancer. Today, my face is no longer swollen, and as a nurse in her 20s kindly pointed out, the scar blends in nicely with my laugh lines.

I knew BCC was a risk. It runs in my mom’s family, and I didn’t start wearing sunscreen on a regular basis until my mid 30s.

The doctor said my case likely could be traced to a bad sunburn from when I was a kid. Regardless, long-term sun exposure is dangerous for anyone, at any age.

That brings me to the workers constructing and repairing our roads and bridges.

They can receive up to 10 times more UV radiation than indoor workers, and some studies have shown that construction workers are 2-3 times more likely to develop BCC or squamous cell carcinoma.

This is an issue that industry leaders need to take seriously.

In the U.S., it is estimated that over 65,000 cases of skin cancer in outdoor workers occur annually, and many of them are construction workers.

So what can be done?

First, advocacy groups and industry leaders need to raise awareness. This is a safety and health issue. Workers should be educated on the risks.

Second, sunscreen should be available on jobsites, and other protective measures should be encouraged.

My dog and I go on long walks around Pittsburgh and spend hours playing fetch. This summer, I have been wearing UV protection clothes, most of which have hoods and long sleeves.

And you’d be surprised at how much these clothes let you breath.

Third, body scans should be normalized. If invited, dermatologists will visit offices, trade shows or annual meetings.

Last year was the hottest on record, and 2025 might be worse. Workers risk their skin in the sun for our roads and bridges. We should have their backs in return and help them protect themselves. RB