Sunbeds’ ultraviolet radiation measurements with different radiometers and criteria for compliance assessment set by the national competent authority in Greece

Abstract

In order to ground the credibility of the sunbeds’ ultraviolet radiation compliance assessment with the 0.3W/m2 erythema effective irradiance limit, it is highly important to use reliable measuring equipment and to justify reasonably the measurement’s result. Recently, the first surveillance action of the artificial tanning sector in Greece has been finalised. The action consisted of in situ erythema effective irradiance measurements from sunbeds at commercial premises offering artificial tanning services at various cities throughout Greece. Four different broadband erythemal weighted radiometers were used in order to compare them during in situ sunbeds’ radiation measurements, at commercial premises, and to choose the most suitable one for compliance inspections. Furthermore a rationale has been introduced in order to compare the measurement’s result with the limit, and decide about compliance or not, taking into account the measurement’s expanded uncertainty. According to this approach, compliance, probable compliance or non-compliance is verified when the measurement’s result taking into account the measurement’s expanded uncertainty does not, probably or does exceed the 0.3W/m2 limit, respectively. Ultraviolet radiation exceeded the 0.3W/m2 erythema effective irradiance limit in 63.5% (33 out of 52) of the sunbeds and probably exceeded the limit in 11.5% (6 out of 52) of the sunbeds, according to the measurements performed with the radiometer which was chosen as the most suitable one and the proposed rationale for compliance justification.