OCCUPATIONAL PHOTOEXPOSURE AND PREVENTIVE PRACTICES AMONG URBAN SANITATION WORKERS IN A TROPICAL BRAZILIAN CITY

Abstract

Occupational solar exposure represents a significant risk factor for skin health, especially among workers performing activities in tropical regions, where solar radiation levels remain high throughout the year. Among these groups, urban cleaning workers stand out due to long working hours under direct sunlight, often during periods of higher ultraviolet radiation intensity. This study aimed to evaluate solar exposure habits, photoprotection practices, and the occurrence of cutaneous reactions associated with photoexposure among urban cleaning workers in the municipality of São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. This is an observational, cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, conducted with 103 workers between February and June 2024, within the scope of the Occupational Health Program of the company responsible for urban cleaning services. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire adapted from an instrument previously described in the literature, including sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, solar exposure patterns, use of photoprotective measures, and self-reported cutaneous reactions. The results revealed high levels of occupational solar exposure, predominantly exceeding six hours per day and concentrated between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Although most partici-pants reported awareness of the harmful effects of solar radiation, adherence to daily sunscreen use was partial. Approximately half of the workers reported experiencing cutaneous reactions related to solar exposure. It is concluded that occupational photoexposure among urban cleaning workers constitutes a collective risk, reinforcing the need for institutional photoprotection strategies within occupational health policies.