Nottingham City Council’s Environmental Health Officers have been working with local sunbed operators to ensure citizens are able to get the safest tan possible.

Officers have been checking the radiation levels of sunbed tubes to ensure they are not too powerful and comply with safety limits.  While exposure to Ultra Violet light always carries some risk, all sunbeds in Nottingham City have been checked that they comply with the EU ‘Safe level’ of 0.3W/m2.

 Environmental Health Officers advice that people shouldn’t use a sunbed if they:

  • Are aged under 18 (illegal for tanning salon operators to allow under 18s to use sunbeds)
  • Always burn in natural sunlight
  • Have a medical condition that becomes worse in sunlight
  • Have an excessive amount of moles and/or freckles
  • Have a history of sunburn, particularly from childhood
  • Have skin cancer or does any member of your immediate family have/had skin cancer

Anyone using a sunbed should remember to:

  • Wear protective eyewear
  • Ask about 0.3 compliance
  • Always leave at least 48hrs between tanning sessions
  • Not exceed two sessions per week
  • Only use a maximum of 30 times per year

Cllr Toby Neal, Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, said: “A tan is your body’s attempt to protect itself from the damaging effect of UV rays. Using a sunbed to get a tan isn’t safer than tanning in the sun but officers have been checking that the tubes in local tanning salons meet the correct standards and don’t overexpose users to higher levels than expected.

“If you decide to use a sunbed, the operator should advise you about your skin type and how long you should limit your session to.”