Antrim and Newtownabbey: fixed penalties after tanning salons fail underage test
Three fixed penalty notices were issued against two tanning salons in Antrim and Newtownabbey recently, a report to councillors states.
The report will be presented to members at a meeting of the council’s Operations Committee on Monday evening.
Nineteen businesses operate tanning salons in the borough. They were advised test purchases were due to take place to assess compliance with sales requirements.
The Public Health Agency has recommended all sunbed operators be subject to a test purchase by local councils at least once every two years.
The Sunbeds Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 prohibits the use, sale, and rental of sunbeds to individuals under the age of 18. Eight out of nine premises were found to comply with legislation when a test visit was carried out in July.
A second test purchase exercise was carried in October to a further 11 premises, including a revisit, by environmental health officers accompanied by a young person aged under 18 years who attempted to purchase a sunbed session. Three failed to meet requirements.
In line with the council’s enforcement policy, two of the premises were served with Fixed Penalty Notices of £250 each. An additional £250 penalty was issued to one of these premises for failing to display a health information notice.
The report indicated the third “non-compliant” premises had recently changed ownership and as the new owners had not received an advisory visit to explain their legal responsibilities, it was decided to issue a written warning with a follow-up “educational” visit.
The Sunbeds Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 places a duty on each district council to enforce the legislation and includes measures to ensure that a public information notice of health risks is displayed; ensure users are provided with written information on the health risks; ensure adequate protective eyewear is provided and prohibit operators making unfounded/unproven health benefit claims of sunbed use.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Northern Ireland and accounts for one in four of all cancers.
Care in the Sun, which was set up as part of the Department of Health’s Northern Ireland Skin Cancer Prevention Strategy, states that the risk of melanoma skin cancer is “significantly increased” when use of tanning devices starts before 35 years of age. It says modern sunbeds emit greater doses of UV rays than tropical midday sun.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organisation, puts sunbeds in the highest cancer risk category with sunbed use associated with an increased risk of skin damage including premature ageing and skin cancer.
It is estimated in the UK approximately 100 people die each year from melanoma skin cancers that are due to sunbed use with two to three deaths per year in Northern Ireland.
Care in the Sun says research shows people who have used a sunbed at least once at any stage in their life have a 20% higher risk of developing melanoma skin cancer than people who have never used a sunbed.
It also notes sunbed use can be harmful to eyesight. Without suitable eye protection, UV radiation from sunbeds can damage the user’s eyes, risk eye inflammation, cataract formation, and, in some cases, eye cancer or ocular melanoma.
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter