Health workers suffer indoor sunburn from too-bright lightbulb

Published Date: 03 September 2011

By John Ross

WORKERS at a Scottish hospital were treated for symptoms
similar to sunburn because the wrong light bulb was used
in a device to kill flies.

An investigation was launched after the incident at
Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, which affected eight people.

It followed a food preparation demonstration in the hospital's
catering department. An electric fly-killer in the room
using ultraviolet (UV) light used a UVC bulb instead of a UVA bulb.

Shortwave UVC is the most damaging to skin
.Longwave UVA is enough to tan skin.

Several hours after the demonstration
yesterday, two members of staff and one from
outside the hospital reported symptoms of a skin rash
and sore, watery eyes.

A further three NHS Highland staff and two
environmental health officers from Highland Counci
l experienced similar symptoms a few hours after being
in the same side room of the Raigmore kitchen on Monday.

In all, five of those affected - three NHS Highland
staff and two others - attended the accident and
emergency department and were given treatment for their eye irritation.