Sunbed check

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz, BfS) advises that anybody who, despite the health risks involved, would like to use a sunbed should make a quality check on their own as a matter of principle. The "sunbed check" below provides a checklist suitable for this purpose.

Sunbed Check – The check for your health

If one of the items listed below does not apply, you should not use the sunbed in question – irrespective of which certificate is displayed:

The tanning salon

• is under supervision of specially trained and qualified staff.

The staff would

• not admit under-18s, nor anyone with skin type I or II;
• point out that UV radiation is harmful to health;
• hand out an information note on the effects of UV-radiation without having been requested. The content of this information note is published in the UV Protection Ordinance (UV-Schutz-Verordnung, in German only);

• ask whether

  • you were taking any medications;
  • you had frequent sunburn, particularly as a child;
  • you have prominent and / or many moles;
  • you or a member of your family have been diagnosed with skin diseases and / or skin cancer;
• advise against using solaria if at least one of the above questions was answered in the affirmative;
• ask how much time has elapsed since your previous visit to a solarium;
• determine your skin type;
• prepare an individual dosage schedule for ten tannings;
• hand over protective goggles without having been requested;
• advise to remove makeup or perfume before tanning.

On the business premises there are (clearly visible and legible) displays, including

• the announcement "No use of sunbeds for under-18s";
• a notice of the exclusion criteria. These are published in the UV Protection Ordinance (UV-Schutz-Verordnung, in German only);
• information material.

In each cubicle there are (clearly visible and legible) displays, including

• a poster featuring the safety instructions. These are published in the UV Protection Ordinance (UV-Schutz-Verordnung, in German only);
• information about the maximum exposure time specified for the unit in that cubicle;
• information about the maximum exposure time for skin types I to IV specified for the unit in that cubicle, including the notice that skin types I and II are excluded from using sunbeds.

The tanning device

• is equipped with emergency shutdown;
• provides a marking of the minimum distance to be kept when the distance between the person irradiated and the device can be adjusted individually;
• displays the notice "Warning! Attention! UV-radiation can cause acute damage to eyes and skin, results in premature skin ageing and increases the risk to develop skin cancer. Stick to recommendations on health protection! Wear protective goggles! Medications and cosmetics can increase the skin’s UV-sensitivity.";
• is cleaned and disinfected by the staff.