According to the Canadian Cancer Society, the sunlight in Canada is strong enough to cause skin cancer, premature aging of the skin and harm to the eyes. The UV index is a helpful way to know how strong the sun’s UV rays are. The scale starts at 0-2 (low exposure) to 11 (extreme exposure). If the number is higher, it means that the sun’s rays are much stronger.
There are three types of UV rays:
- UVA (Ultraviolet A rays): They make up most of the sun’s natural light. They can penetrate the skin and cause wrinkles and premature aging of the skin.
- UVB (Ultraviolet B rays): These are what cause sunburns and are almost 1,000 times stronger that UVA rays.
- Short-Wave Radiation (Ultraviolet C rays): These never reach the earth’s surface thanks to the atmosphere filtering them out.
When UV rays are high, try and avoid working in the sun as much as possible.