The union Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) called on 17 August 2026 for skin cancer resulting from occupational exposure to the sun in Spain to be recognised as an occupational disease. It is also calling for more binding prevention requirements for outdoor work, for example in agriculture and construction. The initiative is based on a report by its own Secretaría de Salud Laboral y Medio Ambiente, which points to significant exposure to ultraviolet radiation at work and identifies shortcomings in preventive measures.
International data support the significance of the issue: according to an analysis published in 2023 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), one in three deaths worldwide from non-melanoma skin cancer is attributable to occupational exposure to the sun. The number of deaths attributed to this cause rose by 88 per cent between 2000 and 2019, from 10,088 to 18,960. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has long classified solar radiation as a Group 1 carcinogen; this means its carcinogenic effect in humans is considered sufficiently established.
CCOO argues that the risks are still inadequately assessed in many Spanish workplaces. Systematic risk assessments of UV exposure are often lacking, while protective clothing, organisational measures and training are patchy. The union is therefore calling not only for legal recognition as an occupational disease but also for binding prevention standards, such as adjusted working hours when UV exposure is high, the mandatory provision of suitable protective equipment and easy access to sun protection products.
The carcinogenic properties of solar radiation and the substantial number of work-related cases are factually supported by the WHO, ILO and IARC. From a political and union perspective, CCOO is calling for the statutory list of recognised occupational diseases to be amended and for stricter oversight. Whether and when lawmakers will respond remains open; implementation would likely clarify affected people’s entitlements under social security and require changes to working practices in outdoor sectors.
For years, specialist institutions have recommended robust basic measures for prevention: planning work in shaded areas or rescheduling it, personal protective equipment including headwear and UV-protective clothing, and educating workers. The union believes these measures should be mandatory and applied across Spain to reduce preventable illness and deaths.
Editor: Daniel Mayer (Article created with AI assistance).