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The thin line marks today, 29 September 2026.

Poison

UV Safety Awareness Month

UV Safety Awareness Month runs through July, when ultraviolet levels are highest across the United States. The American Academy of Ophthalmology uses it to remind people that sunlight damages eyes as well as skin, raising the risk of cataract, growths on the surface of the eye and eyelid cancers. The advice is sunglasses that block all UV light, a broad brimmed hat, shade and sunscreen.

2027

1–31 July 2027

Expected

Expected date from the organiser’s standing rule. Confirm with the organiser nearer the time.

Organiser: American Academy of Ophthalmology

Read the organiser’s pageAdd to your calendarJSON

When it falls

The whole of July, every year.

Also known as: UV Safety Month, UV Awareness Month.

Where it came from

July is marked as UV Safety Month by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, which lists it among the eye health observances it recognises each month and supplies campaign material to newsrooms and organisations that want to promote it. The Academy's case is that long-term exposure to bright sunlight raises the risk of cataract and of growths on the eye, including cancer, and that UV reflected off sand and water can burn the surface of the eye within hours. Skin cancer bodies and public health agencies use the same month for sun protection messages.

The organiser’s account of the day

How organisations mark it

  • Check that everyone's sunglasses block 100 percent of UV-A and UV-B, and replace the ones that do not.
  • Add broad-brimmed hats and shade to outdoor work and school sports plans for the summer.
  • Brief outdoor crews on sunscreen, timing work away from the middle of the day, and reapplying after sweating or swimming.
  • Run a clinic or workplace session on the eye and skin risks of tanning beds.
  • Use the Academy's July materials in newsletters and waiting rooms.

Why this exists

Poisoning & home hazards

about 21,000lung cancer deaths a year from radon

Lung cancer deaths from radon — United States, 2005. Source: US Environmental Protection Agency, Health Risk of Radon (2005).

“Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year.”

More figures for this hazard

ObservanceNextKindWhereHazards
National Heatstroke Prevention Day1 May 2027 ExpectedDayUnited StatesChildrenPoison
National Burn Awareness Week7–13 February 2027 ConfirmedWeekUnited StatesFireChildren

Sources

  1. Eye Health Observances — American Academy of Ophthalmology — www.aao.org, read 15 September 2026.

Page last confirmed against the organiser on 15 September 2026.