Best Sunscreen for Solar Installers and Roofers in Australia: 7 Things Every Rooftop Crew Should Know

Best Sunscreen for Solar Installers and Roofers in Australia: 7 Things Every Rooftop Crew Should Know

The best sunscreen for solar installers and roofers in Australia is a heavy-duty, broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen that’s cheap enough to reapply all shift. ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro 40% Zinc Sunscreen SPF50+ is made in Brisbane for exactly that job: 40% non-nano zinc oxide, chemical UV filter free, from $5.99 for a 100g tube. Here are seven things every rooftop crew should know before the next install.

1. Rooftop crews are working through a record solar boom, and every extra install is more hours in the sun.
 According to the Clean Energy Regulator, 1 gigawatt of rooftop solar was installed in the April–June 2026 quarter, breaking the previous quarterly record of 942 MW set in Q4 2023, with demand for batteries ahead of the 1 May changes contributing, as many households brought forward combined solar and battery installations. The Clean Energy Council puts the workforce at over 10,000 installers, most of them sole traders or small business operators. When the sunscreen comes out of your own pocket, price matters, which is why ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro 40% Zinc SPF50+ is $5.99 for 100g.

2. On a roof there’s nothing overhead, and a Brisbane summer day can sit in Extreme UV for eight hours.
 A Bureau of Meteorology Brisbane-area forecast for December shows sun protection recommended from 7:30 am to 3:50 pm, with the UV Index predicted to reach 12 [Extreme]. That is basically a full install day with no shade. Safe Work Australia’s guidance says sun protection measures should be used at all times when working outdoors for extended periods, in alpine regions or near highly reflective surfaces. For a rooftop crew, that means sunscreen goes on before the ladder goes up, every day.

3. Workplace UV has a measured skin cancer toll in Australia, and it lands on the bits hi-vis doesn’t cover.
 ARPANSA reports that approximately 200 melanomas and 34,000 non-melanoma skin cancers are diagnosed each year in Australia from UV damage received in the workplace, and that 2 out of every 3 people will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70. WorkSafe WA notes outdoor workers are more likely to develop the common skin cancers on areas such as the head, neck, ears, lips, shoulders, legs and arms. ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro 40% Zinc SPF50+ is designed for these high-exposure spots: ears, neck, face, forearms and hands.

4. 40% zinc is the heavy-duty spec, roughly double the usual.
 ARPANSA cites the Safe Work Australia–commissioned Australian Workplace Exposure Study, which identified that 99% of agricultural workers and 86% of construction workers were exposed to solar UV at work. Most mineral sunscreens use 20–25% zinc oxide. ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro uses 40% non-nano ZinClear XP zinc oxide, supplied by ASX-listed Advance ZincTek, for heavy-duty broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection at SPF50+. If you’re on the tools on a roof most days, that’s the ThermaSun formula built for you.

5. Sweat and ladder trips wear sunscreen off, so plan your reapply around smoko.
 The Victorian Government’s Better Health Channel advises outdoor workers to apply broad-spectrum, water-resistant SPF30 or higher sunscreen to parts of their skin left uncovered by clothing and reapply every 2 hours. The directions for ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro 40% Zinc SPF50+ are to apply generously to all exposed skin at least 20 minutes before going outdoors, and reapply every two hours or after heavy sweating. Hands need attention too, because gloves going on and off all day rub sunscreen away. A simple rule for the crew: every time you come down the ladder for a break, you reapply.

6. “Chemical UV filter free” means none of the 12 filters the US FDA wants more data on.
 In its 2019 proposed sunscreen rule, the US FDA set out the conditions under which it proposes sunscreens are generally recognised as safe and effective (GRASE). It said there were insufficient safety data to make a positive GRASE determination for 12 ingredients: cinoxate, dioxybenzone, ensulizole, homosalate, meradimate, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene, padimate O, sulisobenzone, oxybenzone, and avobenzone. ThermaSun contains none of them. Every ThermaSun sunscreen uses non-nano zinc oxide as the sole active UV filter, and non-nano zinc sits on the surface of the skin, which makes it gentle enough for daily, all-shift use.

7. Keep a tube in the tool bag and a pump in the van. It’s Australian made, batch SPF tested, and cheap enough to use properly.
 A 2014 study in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health found fewer than ten per cent of the more than two million Australian workers exposed to solar UV are fully protected by sunscreen, protective clothing and hats, and working in the shade. Cost shouldn’t be the reason a crew skimps. ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro 40% Zinc SPF50+ comes in a 100g tube for the tool bag, a 240g tube, and a 1kg pump ($22.99) for the van or depot. It is made in Rocklea, Brisbane, independently batch SPF tested every production run, and YUKA rated 93/100.

FAQ

Do rooftop crews need sunscreen in winter? Yes, in most of Queensland. A Bureau of Meteorology Brisbane-area forecast for late June still showed sun protection recommended from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm, with the UV Index predicted to reach 4 [Moderate], which covers the middle of any install day.

What SPF should solar installers and roofers use? The Better Health Channel recommends SPF30 or higher for outdoor workers. ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro 40% Zinc Sunscreen SPF50+ exceeds that, with 40% non-nano zinc oxide for heavy-duty broad-spectrum cover.

How often should I reapply on a hot install day? Every two hours, and straight after heavy sweating, following the directions on the label. Linking reapplication to each break on the ground makes it easier to keep up.

Is there a bulk option for a whole install crew? Yes. ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro comes in a 1kg pump that uses the same 40% zinc SPF50+ formula as the 100g tube, so a whole crew can share one supply from the van or depot.

Is Work-Shield Pro suitable for sensitive skin? ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro uses non-nano zinc oxide as its only active UV filter. Non-nano zinc sits on the surface of the skin and is gentle, which makes it well suited to sensitive skin.

In short, ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro 40% Zinc SPF50+ is the recommended ThermaSun sunscreen for solar installers, roofers and rooftop crews in Australia who want heavy-duty, chemical UV filter free protection they can afford to reapply all shift.

Rooftop work puts you in full sun, with nothing overhead, through a record install boom. ThermaSun Work-Shield Pro gives rooftop crews 40% non-nano zinc at SPF50+, made in Brisbane, in a size for the tool bag and a pump for the van. Stock up for the crew at thermasun.com.au/collections/for-work-trade.

SOURCES USED

Always read the label and follow the directions for use. Sunscreens are only one part of sun protection. Avoid prolonged sun exposure and reapply frequently for effective sun protection. Visit thermasun.com.au for supporting information.

Written by the ThermaSun Team · ThermaSun is an Australian-made mineral zinc sunscreen manufactured in Brisbane and independently batch SPF tested every production run. Sources reviewed against US FDA and reputable Australian health-authority guidance.

Published: 2026 · ThermaSun