Bum deal for bare builders as firm orders site cover-up

The days of the traditional builder’s bum and accompanying lobster red
sunburn could be numbered after a leading construction firm ordered its staff
to cover up this summer.

Somerset-based Bluestone has banned its 1,500 builders from going topless on
building sites because of the increased risk of skin cancer.

The company is worried that employees are putting themselves at risk of the
disease by working all day under a hot sun with little or no protection.

John Rawlinson, regional managing director said: "We want all our
people, including sub-contractors and suppliers, to have the same safety sense
when it comes to sun and skin protection as they have for wearing hard hats and
protective footwear."

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Staff that ignore the new zero tolerance policy on covering up at work will
face the same disciplinary procedures that apply if they neglect to wear a hard
hat on site.

Skin cancer cases in the UK have more than doubled in the past 20 years,
with 40,000 new cases expected this year.