London - Some sunbeds are three times hotter than the Australian Outback, trading standards officers have found.
And most are putting clients at risk of serious skin conditions by exceeding the legal limit for UV radiation.
The disturbing figures come from North Yorkshire, where tests revealed a 75 percent failure rate for acceptable UV radiation. Experts are having to wear protective clothing to test sunbeds that customers use while wearing nothing more than swimwear.
There have been calls from the tanning industry for tougher action against rogue operators.
The EU safe wattage for tanning equipment was set by a leading dermatologist years ago as the equivalent of the midday sun in the southern Mediterranean.
The North Yorkshire survey found that only two beds in a sample of eight were within safe limits.
“The beds that failed the tests were all suspended from use pending repair or the replacement of bulbs. Officers will now expand the survey to cover the whole county,” a spokesman said.
“Officers warned people who may be tempted to use sunbeds to maintain their holiday tan, that they may be risking serious skin damage and worse. We are concerned that customers may have a dangerous misconception that the hotter the sunbed is, the better their tan will be.”
A new clampdown was also launched in West Yorkshire this week after investigations revealed an 82 percent failure rate for acceptable radiation. The results showed customers desperate for a fast tan were being exposed to triple the solar energy they would get in the Australian Outback.
The 0.3 watts per square metre of tanning bed limit is reckoned to be on a par with daily sunshine in Darwin. However, investigations showed some sunbeds are belting out 0.9 watts per square metre. Clare Forbes, of West Yorkshire trading standards, said this was off the scale. She added: “Such levels of UV radiation do not occur anywhere on the earth’s surface. Not even 0.6 occurs anywhere on earth.”
Gary Lipman, chairman of the Sunbed Association, said: “Our code of practice requires our members to operate to best practice, but beyond our membership we are aware that not all tanning businesses operate to such high standards.
“We would always recommend that anyone looking to use a sunbed, seeks out a member of the Sunbed Association, where they are assured of receiving correct advice from properly trained staff.” - Daily Mail