Two thirds of sunbeds tested in Cheshire East were not safe enough, startling figures have revealed.
In an inspection of tanning salons across Nantwich, Crewe and other towns, only 32 of 90 sunbeds met European safety standards.
When Cheshire East Council officers repeated inspections weeks later, the number passing stringent European safety tests had risen to 78.
Those salons in Nantwich which passed included BeDazzle on Pillory Street, Ultra Tan in Bowers Row, and C2 Fitness and Glow Tanning Studio, both in Hospital Street.
But six of 34 salons visited were found to have some sunbeds not meeting safety standards.
These included Total Tan on Nantwich Road, Crewe, which had two out its five sunbeds not meeting standards.
Another was Tropical Oasis, on Coleridge Way, Crewe, which also had two of five not up to scratch.
Officers used a solarmeter to test whether each sunbed was within the safe limit of 0.3 watts of UV radiation per square metre.
The European safety standard was introduced because of increasing rates of skin cancer.
Businesses whose sunbeds emitted twice the safety limit or more were ordered to switch them off.
Salon owners were warned they could face enforcement action or be “named and shamed” if they did not comply with standards.
Two businesses failed a test purchasing exercise by offering sunbed sessions to 15-year-olds. The legal age for users is 18 or over.
One of those businesses has now removed its sunbeds, the other has implemented a ‘Challenge 25’ policy. Cheshire East Council has declined to name them.
Cllr Les Gilbert, Cheshire East’s Cabinet member for localism and enforcement, said: “This is a very worthwhile project which has given sunbed users greater protection from a known cancer risk.
“The cost was very low – a one-off £200 for new equipment plus officer time and mileage expenses – but it has resulted in a big improvement in safety standards.
“It is clear there is a need for us to monitor and regulate sunbed businesses in Cheshire East to protect the public and we have stepped up to that task.”
(pic by Jannerman, creative commons licence, for illustration purposes only)
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