?There’s a direct link between how seriously facilities take sun safety for swimmers and staff and the likelihood that guards will protect their own skin, according to research published in the skin-health journal Archives of Dermatology. The information was collected via survey over a two year period from 700 lifeguards, ages 15 to 60, many of whom were part of the sun safety program called Pool Cool.
Dawn M. Hall of Emory University found that approximately 60 percent of these guards wore sunblock and identified a direct relationship between sun-safe behaviors as a social norm among fellow staff members and supervisors, and use of sun protection.
However, there’s still room for improvement. The study also found that less than 50 percent of participants typically wore shirts with sleeves or tried to stay in the shade.
