Radiation, solar and ultraviolet

Agent Name
Radiation, solar and ultraviolet
Major Category
Physical/Radiation
Category
Radiation
Description
The sun is the major source of ultraviolet radiation (UVR), divided into UVC (100-280 nm), UVB (280-315 nm) and UVA (315-400). Of the solar UVR reaching the earth, 95% is UVA, and 5% is UVB. UVC is filtered out by the atmosphere. [Reference #1]
Sources/Uses
Workers exposed to sunlight and UVR include outdoor workers, welders, and workers exposed to germicidal UV light, lasers, and drying/curing processes. [LaDou, p. 137-8] See the TLVs for workers exposed to ultraviolet radiation from "arcs, gas and vapor discharges, fluorescent and incandescent sources, and solar radiation" to prevent burns and photokeratitis. [ACGIH]
Comments
Solar radiation is a known occupational carcinogen (outdoor workers) associated with increased risk for malignant melanoma and other skin cancers. [Siemiatycki, p. 326] UVR can also cause photokeratoconjunctivitis (welder's flash), cataracts, skin burns, and both photoirritant and photoallergic contact dermatitis (PICD and PACD). [LaDou, p. 185] Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin, but not melanoma, correlate with cumulative exposure to UV light; [Wald, p. 245-6] "Two observations from epidemiological studies may help explain the paradox of the lack of association of melanoma with chronic sun exposure. First, outdoor workers are not at a substantially increased risk of melanoma; second, outdoor workers tend to have a higher-than-average ability to develop a tan. Outdoor workers tend to be constitutionally protected from solar skin damage and at a lower risk of skin cancer than workers in other occupations because of self-selection based on skin pigmentation." [Reference #1] See chemicals, drugs, plants, and foods in this database that can cause photoirritant and photoallergic contact dermatitis.
Biomedical References

Exposure Assessment

Explanatory Notes
See the detailed tables in "Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents." [ACGIH]

Adverse Effects

Dermatotoxin
Skin burns
IARC Carcinogen
Established
NTP Carcinogen
Human carcinogen

Diseases, Processes, and Activities Linked to This Agent

Diseases

Occupational diseases associated with exposure to this agent: