FAQ
Personal Protective Equipment (or safety gear) is developed to meet specialised applications and offer optimum protection.
ProChoice Safety Gear must pass stringent testing procedures in house and where applicable meet Australian Safety Standards. This means our range has been developed for particular applications.
To assist in choosing the correct safety gear for a job we have put together some Frequently Asked Question's about each of our product categories. Product knowledge is important. If you have any particular questions, please contact us at enquiries@prochoice.com.au
©Paramount Safety Products 2009
All references to Australian Standards have been reproduced with permission from SAI Global under copyright Licence 0912-C043 and is exclusive to Paramount Safety Products. These standards may be purchased online at www.saiglobal.com. The granting by SAI Global of a licence to reproduce is in no way represented as approval from SAI Global of any alterations, additions or deletions.
Sun Protection
What does SPF mean?
According to the Cancer Council, two out of three people will develop some form of skin cancer during their lifetime in Australia.
The best ways to protect skin from the sun are by use of clothing and shade however when you’re outside for work this isn’t always possible. Any remaining exposed skin should be protected by use of a sunscreen of preferably sun protection factor (SPF) SPF 30+.
The purpose of using sunscreens is to reduce Ultra Violet Rays (UVR) exposure, not to extend the time spent outside in the sun.
The SPF rating indicates the level of protection provided by a sunscreen against UVR. Sunscreens sold in Australia must be labelled with an SPF rating of at least 4, up to a maximum of 30+. Sunscreens of less than SPF 15 offer only moderate to low protection.
Is ProBloc a chemical absorber or a physical blocker sunscreen?
ProBloc is a chemical absorber sunscreen and absorbs UVR in a chemical barrier.
The individual chemicals in this form of sunscreen absorb UVR at specific wavelengths. Broad spectrum sunscreens contain several ingredients that each absorb at different wavelengths and so are effective over more of the UVR spectrum.
ProBloc is water resistant for up to 3 hours, non-greasy, PABA free and very easy to apply to the skin. It also contains Vitamin E which is great for your skin.
How should you apply sunscreen?
According to the Cancer Foundation, the effectiveness of sunscreens is dependent upon many factors including how thickly the sunscreen is applied to the exposed skin. When considering how much sunscreen is adequate, it is internationally accepted that the application should be about two milligrams per square centimetre. This translates to about thirty millilitres (ml), which is approximately six teaspoons, of sunscreen lotion to protect the entire exposed skin of an adult male.
Sunscreen is best applied to clean, dry skin. Sunscreen must be applied to all exosed skin, 15 minutes before going into the sun and reapplied every two hours to maintain the stated protection. Reapplication does not give additional protection but ensures that the stated protection is achieved. Application of sunscreen ineffectively or too sparingly may considerably reduce the level of protection for the wearer.
Remember that sunscreens do not block out all of the UVR so a person is not completely protected by sunscreen and may still sunburn.
