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'Staff all tanning salons' call Calls to staff all tanning salons
(about 5 hours later)
Calls for unstaffed tanning salons to be banned after a 14-year-old was burnt over 70% of her body have been made by dermatologists and politicians. Calls for unstaffed tanning salons to be banned after a 14-year-old burnt over 70% of her body have been made by dermatologists and politicians.
A health and safety inquiry is underway into Kirsty McRae's 19-minute use of the salon in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan.A health and safety inquiry is underway into Kirsty McRae's 19-minute use of the salon in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan.
Swansea East MP Sian James said the case was the "tip of the iceberg" of youngsters using such salons.Swansea East MP Sian James said the case was the "tip of the iceberg" of youngsters using such salons.
But the father of the salon's owner, James Hadley, said: "It's just been blown up out of all proportion." Salon owner James Hadley said he actively tried to discourage under-16s from using his shop.
Kirsty, from Barry Island, Vale of Glamorgan, said she took full responsibility for using the unstaffed salon even though she was underage and there were signs saying under 16s were not allowed.Kirsty, from Barry Island, Vale of Glamorgan, said she took full responsibility for using the unstaffed salon even though she was underage and there were signs saying under 16s were not allowed.
Doctors kept her in hospital overnight after she suffered first degree burns, the lowest level of skin burn, after staying on a tanning machine for 19 minutes.Doctors kept her in hospital overnight after she suffered first degree burns, the lowest level of skin burn, after staying on a tanning machine for 19 minutes.
She admits was unsupervised but said: "Teenagers are going to push the boundaries. They are going to do things they should not do." She admits she saw signs saying no under 16s but said: "Teenagers are going to push the boundaries. They are going to do things they should not do."
In 2007, Labour MP Ms James put forward a Commons early day motion calling for regulation of the unmanned section of the industry. A consultant dermatologist said it is the view of both the British Association of Dermatologists and the British Medical Association Cymru Wales that unstaffed tanning salons should be banned.
In 2007, Labour MP Ms James put forward a Commons early day motion calling for regulation of the unmanned section of the industry. Kirsty McRae said she had never used a sun bed before
She said she was "sorry but not surprised" to learn of Kirsty's experience.She said she was "sorry but not surprised" to learn of Kirsty's experience.
She said: "We have got to protect young people from smoking, drugs and alcohol. We also need to protect them from the use of sunbeds.She said: "We have got to protect young people from smoking, drugs and alcohol. We also need to protect them from the use of sunbeds.
"I don't think we should have unstaffed salons. It's not sufficient to stick a sign up." "I don't think we should have unstaffed salons. It's not sufficient to stick a sign up.
She said owners of staffed salons had to carry the overheads of employing more people, but those premises were then in a better position to offer advice to customers. Kirsty McRae said she had never used a sun bed before "I want all salons to be staffed."
She said some had told her of customers asking to be allowed use sunbeds beyond recommended limits.
She said: "They know that when they refuse to do this, [the customers] go straight down the road to put money into unstaffed salons.
"It makes the staffed end of the market very cross. Why should we have unstaffed salons? I want all salons to be staffed."
She was supported by Doctor Sharon Blackford, a consultant dermatologist at Swansea's Singleton Hospital, who said unstaffed salons should be banned and the age at which teenagers could use sunbeds should be raised from 16 to 18.She was supported by Doctor Sharon Blackford, a consultant dermatologist at Swansea's Singleton Hospital, who said unstaffed salons should be banned and the age at which teenagers could use sunbeds should be raised from 16 to 18.
Mr Hadley has said his salon had posters on the walls and on the doors warning of the dangers of sunbeds and that under-16s were not allowed to use the booths. She said: "Children can get in there and are not able to appreciate the risks they are putting themselves under."
He said a member of staff was present every day between 3pm-4pm and 7pm-9pm. She said the short-term risks of overusing a tanning booth was the burning demonstrated by Kirsty's experience.
'Cancer risk'
"Long term, though, as dermatologists, we're even more worried about the increased risk of skin cancer these young people are exposing themselves to," she said.
"We know that severe sunburn, especially at a young age, increases your risk of melanoma, which is the most serious form of skin cancer.
"And also the more exposure to ultra violet light you have over your lifetime, you increase your risk of other forms of skin cancer, ageing, wrinkling, becoming leathery and not very attractive as well."
'Prominent sign'
Mr Hadley said: "There is no actual law preventing them from using it, but I don't want under 16s using my shop.
"So I've actually got a prominent sign on the front door, and a sign on all my literature as well, leaflets and posters.
"When I was notified that school kids were actually pulling up in the bus and using my shop, I actively put one of my members of staff there from three to four o'clock to try to prevent this.
"I asked them to actively ID anybody who looks less 21 and prevent them from using the sun beds without, obviously, ID."
Mr Hadley's father, Steve, said he and his son had offered to meet Kirsty and her family.Mr Hadley's father, Steve, said he and his son had offered to meet Kirsty and her family.
He said: "It's an unfortunate incident. We do feel for the girl but she shouldn't have gone on for that length of time. It's just been blown up out of all proportion."He said: "It's an unfortunate incident. We do feel for the girl but she shouldn't have gone on for that length of time. It's just been blown up out of all proportion."