In 2012, the European Sunlight Association started a major initiative by developing a new European Standard on training for and service provision by sunbed operators, in cooperation with CENELEC (one of the main European standardization bodies) and the Austrian Standards Institute (ASI).
This work took three years and was carried out jointly with stakeholders such as the European Cancer Leagues (ECL) and the European Association for the Co-ordination of Consumer Representation in Standardisation (ANEC). The standard (EN 16489) was approved in 2014 and ESA together with its members is currently working to implement it across the EU.
This would be greatly helped if governments or the EU decided to make it mandatory or at least reference it in any regulation of sunbeds.
The Training and Services Standard consists of three parts:
- Requirements with regard to the provision of training: it specifies the learning contents essential for the training of persons working for a professional indoor tanning facility and giving information and advice on UV exposure to customers (called “indoor UV exposure consultants”), as well as the procedures of how their qualification shall be provided and assessed.
- Required qualification and competence: it sets out the requirements which are essential for the knowledge and skills, competence, and qualification of indoor UV exposure consultants.
- Requirements for the provision of services: it defines the requirements for and assessment of the services provided by professional indoor UV exposure facilities, and contributes to further strengthening consumer protection and safety with regard indoor tanning services.
ESA has also developed a certification, training & labelling scheme for this new standard in cooperation with ASI to facilitate its national implementation. The training platform for the online eLearning can be found here.
For more information click on the logos of the certified National Training Providers in the UK (The Sunbed Association, TSA), Austria (Solarienfachausbildung.at, SFA) and the Netherlands (SVZ):