Supporting members with access to skin checks on-site

Last week our on-site South Australian Sun Safety program was featured on channel 10 in Adelaide.

Coming from the iconic Adelaide Market Square site we heard from workers about why skin checks are so important in the industry and how having them on-site makes a difference for workers.

One in three Australian’s will be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer before they reach the age of 75.

Skin cancer is preventable and can be caught early through regular and routine skin checks.

Watch the news coverage

You can watch the coverage below.

Making skin checks more accessible

Working long hours 6 days a week makes it difficult for workers to book and keep health appointments that are usually offered during business hours.

Bringing skin checks to site makes it easier for workers to catch any suspicious spots early and seek treatment before it becomes life threatening.

Speaking about the program Tane Shaw a Delegate onsite said “They won’t go do this if they don’t have the time, if we bring it here it gives them that opportunity to do it free of charge”.

Since we expanded into South Australia in July 2022, our health programs have been delivered on 40 sites across the state supporting close to 900 workers.

This year, 38% of members who had concerns about spots on their skin were informed by the nurse that they were suspicious lesions.

The importance of programs like this

Executive Officer, National Fund, Christian Bombig said “Nearly a quarter of the workers who have had their skin checked are then referred onto GP’s because they have a suspicious lesion which may be a potential melanoma. So we’re definitely out there saving lives”.

By bringing these appointments to them, it makes it easier for workers to proactively look after their health.

Following the success of our two-year booked out Sun Safety pilot program, it will now continue indefinitely.