Sun Safe Workspace #2: Infographics and Graphical Elements

Introduction

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer across the globe, with millions of people being diagnosed each year. In 2024, 108,270 people nationwide were diagnosed with skin cancer, and 9,880 people in Florida were diagnosed with its deadliest form, melanoma (American Cancer Society, 2024). People who spend many hours working outside, such as construction workers, agriculturalists, farmers, and others, are at increased risk for developing skin cancer and other heat-related illnesses due to their time spent in the sun (World Health Organization, 2024). In fact, over 600,000 jobs in Florida are outdoors-based (Tsoukalas, 2025). Avoiding the sun may be difficult for those living in Florida, but the support and resources provided in this publication can help you reduce unhealthy, excessive UV exposure.

This publication provides an overview of the four tailored infographics created for the UF/IFAS Extension program called Sun Safe Workspace. The goal of each infographic was to communicate specific knowledge related to the importance of sun safety for cancer prevention, with a focus on outdoor professionals (or those who spend most of their working hours outside). We also present graphical elements that are used to facilitate cohesiveness among program materials.

Infographics and graphical elements were created with the support of graphic designers and educators. The state specialist designed and iteratively edited the infographics to ensure up-to-date and accessible information was included in the final document. They are used in the context of community education, where all information can be explained in person and expanded when needed.

Infographic 1: All about Skin Cancer for Outdoor Professionals

Our first tailored infographic relays information about skin cancer, its causes, and its importance. The aim of this visual communication tool is to communicate statistics in a user-friendly format.

Facts and statistics in the “All about Skin Cancer for Outdoor Professionals” infographic communicate key causes of skin cancer. For example, it is important for people to understand that the most common cause of skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. The infographic also highlights facts such as 1 in every 5 Americans will develop a form of skin cancer during their lifetime (Skin Cancer Foundation, 2025).

UV rays from the sun can damage the layers of your skin and cause DNA damage, which is responsible for skin aging and some skin cancers (Brar et al., 2025). There are two components of UV radiation: UVA, primarily responsible for collagen breakdown and premature aging, and UVB, primarily responsible for DNA mutations and skin inflammation (Brar et al., 2025). Continued UV exposure makes it more difficult for the skin to recover.

Anyone can develop skin cancer. Fortunately, if detected and treated early, patients with skin cancer have a 99% survival rate (Skin Cancer Foundation, 2025). Still, it is better to prevent skin cancer altogether by employing sun safety measures.

Infographic 2: Do It Yourself: Skin Self-Exam

Our second tailored infographic explains two important components of a self-exam: 1) what to look for as a sign of skin damage, and 2) how to examine your skin. We wanted to convey the steps necessary to perform a successful skin examination.

Knowing how to complete self-examinations is vital to early detection. They can improve awareness of changes on your skin due to sun exposure. Being aware of photoaging, defined as premature skin aging from chronic UV exposure (Brar et al., 2025), is important for those who spend many hours in the sun. Although there is not a widespread consensus on how often you should self-exam, the American Cancer Society (2024) recommends you conduct a self-exam every month.

A self-exam is easy to perform and only requires household items such as chairs, mirrors, a bright light, and a brush. A blow dryer can help move hair around, allowing you to see and inspect all the skin on your scalp. A complete skin self-exam might also require the help of another person. You can have a family member or friend check areas not easy to see, such as your scalp, the back of your neck, and tops of your ears. It is important to regularly check the skin for changes; unusual variations in moles/growths like size or color can be an indicator of skin damage. Any concerning spots should be discussed with a health professional. The ABCDEs are used as a tool to help you know what to look for when completing your skin exam.

Infographic 3: Protecting Your Outdoor Employees from the Sun

Our third tailored infographic provides strategies for implementing sun safety in the workplace. Skin cancer prevention is a major point of interest for employers, as it is their responsibility to ensure workers have a safe and healthy work environment. The goal behind this infographic is to show how both employees and employers can benefit from skin cancer prevention measures while at work.

Implementing sun safety in the workplace benefits both the employer and the employee in several ways. Employees are protected from harmful UV exposure, as well as heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, and dehydration (Gorucu et al., 2021). All the previously mentioned outcomes negatively affect productivity.

With support for consistent implementation of sun safety strategies at worksites, employers can help protect employees from the negative effects of excessive UV exposure.

Infographic 4: Be Sun Safe at Work

The fourth tailored infographic spotlights several skin cancer prevention and sun safety behaviors that are important for outdoor professionals to keep in mind while working in the sun. For example, it describes photosensitivity, which is defined as heightened skin sensitivity to UV rays (Skin Cancer Foundation, 2025). The infographic provides details about which medications can impact sensitivity to the sun to encourage people to be aware and take proper protective measures (Ge et al., 2025). Many people are unaware that some common medications may cause their skin to be more sensitive to the sun. However, not everyone who uses medications with ingredients that may cause photosensitivity will experience a reaction. Some of these medications can be found here: The Sun and Your Medicine | FDA.

There are many steps you can take to reduce your overall risk of skin cancer and to protect your skin from damaging UV rays. Sun protection factor (SPF) is a measurement of how well sunscreen blocks UV rays. SPF of 30+ is recommended for adequate protection. Similarly, the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) measures clothing’s UV blocking. The UPF rating of darker, denser fabrics such as 100% denim or polyester can be 30+, which is extremely protective. Lighter fabrics such as cotton tend to have much lower UPF ratings at five through seven (Skin Cancer Foundation, 2025). That is comparable with SPF 5 and fails to provide enough UV protection.

To maximize UV protection, a combination of UPF clothing and SPF sunscreen rated 30 or above, as well as wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses to protect the head and face, is recommended (Berry et al., 2022). Sun safety measures are important to safeguard our skin and our health, and by taking the appropriate measures, we can work outdoors safely and responsibly.

Graphical Elements for Sun Safe Workspace

In addition to the four infographics previously discussed, several graphical elements can be used with program resources. For example, each infographic features the 2-line, horizontal version of the Sun Safe Workspace graphical element in the bottom left-hand corner (Figures 1–4). Additional versions include the 1-line horizontal graphical element and the 4-line primary graphical element. All versions are available in black and white or colorful gradient (Figure 5). These elements tie all educational resources together, creating a cohesive visual experience for community learners. In addition, we prioritize the use of the Sun Safe graphical elements alongside university-approved UF/IFAS logos, county logos, and any partner logos. This helps community learners feel confident that the information is coming from a trusted source.

Resource

Below is an external resource on skin cancer.

UF Health Cancer Center: Skin Cancer — UF Health

References

American Academy of Dermatology. (2025, June 20). Stats: Skin cancer. https://www.aad.org/media/stats-skin-cancer

American Cancer Society. (2024). Cancer facts & figures 2024. https://www.cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics/all-cancer-facts-figures/2024-cancer-facts-figures.html

American Cancer Society. (2024, June 26). How to do a skin self-exam. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/sun-and-uv/skin-exams.html

Berry, E. G., Bezecny, J., Acton, M., Sulmonetti, T. P., Anderson, D. M., Beckham, H. W., Durr, R. A., Chiba, T., Beem, J., Brash, D. E., Kulkarni, R., Cassidy, P. B., & Leachman, S. A. (2022). Slip versus slop: A head-to-head comparison of UV-protective clothing to sunscreen. Cancers, 14(3), 542. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14030542

Brar, G., Dhaliwal, A., Brar, A. S., Sreedevi, M., Ahmadi, Y., Irfan, M., Golbari, R., Zumárraga, D., Yateem, D., Lysak, Y., & Abarca-Pineda, Y. A. (2025). A comprehensive review of the role of UV radiation in photoaging processes between different types of skin. Cureus, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.81109

Ge, L., Huang, X., Dong, Z., & Zhong, T. (2025). Causes of drug-induced photosensitivity: An analysis using FDA adverse event reporting system database. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 18102. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-03114-4

Gorucu, S., Fraisse, C., & Yu, Z. (2021). Natural heat-related deaths in Florida: 2010–2020: AE558/AE558, 05/2021. EDIS, 2021(3). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-ae558-2021

Skin Cancer Foundation. (2025, April). Photosensitivity & your skin. https://www.skincancer.org/risk-factors/photosensitivity/

Skin Cancer Foundation. (2025, July). Skin cancer: Facts & statistics. https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/skin-cancer-facts/

Skin Cancer Foundation. (2025, August). Sun-protective clothing. https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-prevention/sun-protection/sun-protective-clothing/

Tsoukalas, A. (2025, September 24). High heat, higher responsibility (2025): The Sunshine State must enact policies to protect working Floridians. Florida Policy Institute. https://www.floridapolicy.org/posts/high-heat-higher-responsibility-2025-the-sunshine-state-must-enact-policies-to-protect-working-floridians

World Health Organization. (2024). Shedding light on occupational exposure to the sun. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 102(3), 154–156. https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.24.020324