Kicking Skin Cancer Out of Construction

Saving the lives of construction workers by driving down rates of melanoma is the aim of a new collaboration between CARTERS Building Supplies and Melanoma New Zealand.

With New Zealand’s melanoma incidence rate the highest in the world, this new partnership brings the dangers of working in the harsh Kiwi sun into sharp focus, delivering lifesaving damage prevention tips and early detection tools to help kick skin cancer out of construction.  

CARTERS has chosen to act on behalf of its customers, its staff and the wider industry in taking a stand against the cancer that is all too common among construction workers. So, building an official partnership with Melanoma New Zealand made sense, said CARTERS Building Supplies Chief Executive, Mike Guy.  

More Kiwis die from skin cancer than die on our roads. The condition causes around 300 deaths in New Zealand, with more than 6,000 Kiwis diagnosed with in situ or advanced melanoma, each year. Melanoma New Zealand statistics also reveal men are more likely than women to die from melanoma – a type of skin cancer that develops when pigment producing cells in the skin, called melanocytes, divide abnormally. Melanoma is often more serious than other types of skin cancer, such as basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma; it can progress quickly and can be life-threatening. 

Melanoma is almost always preventable and if caught and treated early enough it is almost always curable. That is why awareness, education and support are key. 

Prevent, check, protect is the message to tradies. Covering up - with clothes, a wide brimmed hat, wrap-around sunglasses and wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen that is at least SPF 30 and limiting sun exposure is key to melanoma prevention. Check your skin regularly for any changes and take any concerns to a health professional immediately to help detect melanoma early. Continue to protect yourself and others by spreading the word on the importance of prevention and early detection. 

Mike says, "By helping deliver the message about the importance of melanoma prevention to tradies through in-branch spot checks, promotion at local and national events, and via educational content, CARTERS aim to have a positive impact on New Zealanders working within the building industry." 

Melanoma NZ facts: 

• More than 6,000 melanomas are diagnosed in New Zealand every year 
• Melanoma accounts for nearly 80% of all skin cancer deaths 
• Almost 300 Kiwis die of melanoma every year 
• Men are twice as likely than women to die from melanoma 
• Darker-skinned people may have a lower chance of getting melanoma, but they often have thicker, more serious melanomas 
• Melanoma rarely occurs in children