QUANTIFICATION OF PERSONAL SOLAR UV EXPOSURE OF OUTDOOR WORKERS, INDOOR WORKERS AND ADOLESCENTS AT 2 LOCATIONS IN SOUTHEAST QUEENSLAND

Quantification of human exposure to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation a t two locations was performed to study the effect of occupation (outdo or workers, schoolchildren and home workers) and location on personal UV exposure. The study took place on 13 and 14 February 1997 in Toowoo mba (27.5 degrees S, 151.9 degrees E) and Brisbane (27.4 degrees S, 15 3.1 degrees E) in Southeast Queensland, Australia. From the data colle cted by calibrated ambient UV monitoring stations located in Toowoomba and Brisbane, Toowoomba received 16% more WB (280-320 nm) than Brisba ne from 07:00 to 17:00 Australian Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the 1 3 February, 1997 and 10% more UVB on the 14 February 1997. All groups, regardless of occupation, in this study received a median erythemal U V exposure of over 2 MED on the shoulder over the 2 day period. The hi ghest median erythemal UV exposure to the shoulder over the 2 day peri od was 6 MED in Toowoomba outdoor workers. The median 2 day erythemal exposure to the shoulder was 33% higher in Toowoomba than in Brisbane for the outdoor workers, 50% higher in Toowoomba compared to Brisbane for the schoolchildren and 25% higher in Toowoomba than Brisbane for t he home workers.