Session on sunbed left schoolgirl with 1st degree burns

0 Comments | South Wales Echo (Cardiff, Wales), Feb 19, 2009

Byline: Madeleine Brindley Health Editor

A 14-YEAR-OLD school girl suffered first degree burns to 70% of her body after using an unmanned tanning salon.

Kirsty McRae was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales, in Cardiff, by ambulance after spending 19 minutes on a sunbed in Barry's town centre.

Despite being 14, no-one stopped her using the powerful beds at the Lextan salon.

A health and safety investigation has been launched by Vale of Glamorgan environmental health officers.

And there are calls today for unmanned tanning salons to be banned.

Kirsty's mother Jill, from Barry, said: "This is a condition that Kirsty is partly responsible for, but it just beggars belief that anyone can put money into a slot and do this amount of damage to themselves. These sunbeds and unmanned salons pose an enormous risk to all potential users.

"We may never know the extent of the damage to Kirsty because the underlying effects may not emerge for years.

"I said no when Kirsty asked about getting a spray tan - I'm now wishing that I had said yes."

Kirsty, a pupil at Bishop of Llandaff School, used the Lextan salon, in Holton Road, Barry, on Monday afternoon.

"I was feeling pale and just wanted a tan," said Kirsty, who hopes to become a barrister.

She initially paid pounds 1 for four minutes on the "cutting-edge" solarium, which is "designed for top tanning results", according to Lextan's leaflets.

But when she didn't see any immediate results, she paid another pounds 3 for a further 15 minutes.

It was later that evening that the full extent of the damage became clear.

Mrs McRae contacted NHS Direct when Kirsty became dizzy and an ambulance was called.

Kirsty, who is currently on half-term, was discharged from hospital on Tuesday night.

Mrs McRae, 49, a health and safety officer, added: "The potential risk to young users is immeasurable."

Rowan Hughes, the Vale of Glamorgan Council'sprincipal environmental health officer, said: "The council is sorry to hear about this incident and its con sequences for Kirsty, and can confirm that a health and safety investigation is now underway. We are currently contacting the owner as part of the ongoing inquiry. The council is extremely concerned about unmanned tanning salons but there is no current legislation in Wales relating to such premises."

Julie Barratt, director of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health in Wales, said: "We have been calling for unmanned sun tanning salons to be banned for some time. As this unfortunate case demonstrates there is no effective control over who uses such facilities and how they are used."

James Hadley, who runs the Lextan salon in Barry and six others in South Wales, said he was operating within the law. Signs on the salon state no under- 16s should enter.

"I am very upset to hear about this - this is extremely unfortunate," he added.

"It is unfortunate that someone chose the ignore the warnings about sun beds - I have posters all over the shop and on the doors. I don't want under-16s using my shop but because it is unmanned there is nothing I can physically do."

Mr Hadley said that, in the last week, amember of staff ispresent in the shop between 3pm and 4pm because of reports school children were using the sunbeds.

The Barry salon is also currently manned between 7pm and 9pm.

NO GOVERNMENT REGULATION ON SUNBEDS USE

THE Government does not recommend the use of sunbeds but there is currently no requirement for training or regulation associated with the use of such tanning machines.

The onus is on the sunbed operator to supply appropriate information which will allow potential users to make an informed decision about whether or not sunbeds are suitable for their use. The Health and Safety Executive advises that sunbeds should never be used by the under 16s or by people with very fair skin and those who burn easily. It also advises that people with a history of skin cancer should not use them.

madeleine.brindley@mediawales.co.uk

CAPTION(S):

TREATMENT: Kirsty was taken to hospital, above, and is still in pain, right; NO STAFF: The unmanned salon left Kirsty with severe burns, below