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Is UAE Company Car Window Tinting a H&S Requirement
Rank: Forum user
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Hello,
We provide leased company cars as a perk to some of our Managers. We are based in the UAE (Dubai) and high tempretures and heat are a hazard. I have had a request on H&S grounds to provide window tinting at cost to our Business on a company car we provided to an employee.( None of our lease company cars have window tinting) In my opinion the car is not work equipment or a tool necessary to carry out work specific related tasks. Had the individual been a company driver or travelling salesperson I wouldnt hesitate due to the exposure time spent carrying out work related tasks. I have advised the individual to use a sunblock offering UVA & UVB protection and to consider wearing long sleeve clothing whlie driving to and from work to home and that if they choose to install window tinting it should be at their cost. Is this a reasonable solution ? Regards, Butros
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Rank: Super forum user
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Buy them sunglasses instead, a lot cheaper.
But seriously, it is a tricky subject. What might seem a good idea in the glare of the sun might not be such a good idea after dark. Tinting should never exceed a percentage of dimming with this in mind. I don't know if there is anything in the law in that part of the world to require or suggest this, which might be worth checking out.
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 1 user thanked biker1 for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Glass is good at stopping UV radiation so tinting makes no difference. It might reduce glare but then it will increase the risk while driving at night (which is why in the UK tinting the windscreen and driver’s and front passenger’s windows is illegal). Tinting windows is mostly associated with criminals and celebrities who wan to conceal their identity. Is you an employee a wanabee?
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 1 user thanked A Kurdziel for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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What is the real concern? I understood it to be heat, which I assume is the temperature of the inside of the vehicle. Is there any evidence that tinting windows makes any difference to this? I would assume paint colour was much more relevant, and effectiveness of Aircon.
If the concern was brightness of the sun, then perhaps tinting could have an effect. But as others have pointed out, what do you do at night?
I think un-tinted glass will stop most UV so I think sun block and long clothing are fairly spurious recommendations, especially as sunburn/skin cancer do not appear to have been the concern.
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 1 user thanked andybz for this useful post.
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Rank: Forum user
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Apologies, the initial complaint was that they recieved "sun burn" by not having tinted windows. Cars all fitted with AC
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Rank: Super forum user
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I have heard of and seen truckers elbow by driving with the window down but never a complaint of someone being sunburnt from being inside a vehicle - more likely from when they were outside the car and not properly protected against the elements.
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Rank: Super forum user
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I have heard of and seen truckers elbow by driving with the window down but never a complaint of someone being sunburnt from being inside a vehicle - more likely from when they were outside the car and not properly protected against the elements.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Note that whilst glass will reduce the penetration of UVB it has very little effect on UVA. It is UVA that is the main cause of skin ageing from UV as it penetrates deeper than UVB and damages collagen and elastin. It can also cause skin cancer, and specifically the squamous cell carcinoma that tends in the U.K. to be overlooked.
The Australians know this well as drivers often develop cancer on their right arm, i.e. the one exposed to the sun through the window. My daughter is an excellent demonstration of this as in the summer she develops freckles on her right arm but to a far lesser extent on her left. (Note she is also a type I skin on the Fitszpatrick skin scale.)
Whether tinting windows has any effect on UVA I do not know, but in any case it would not affect the driver, whose window and windscreen would presumably not have the coating.
Chris
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Rank: Forum user
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All, Thank you for your feedback and your time replying . I appreciate the UVA/UVB and skin protection requirements. However am I right in stating that we dont have to provide tinting on the company cars?
I feel that a) the exposure time is minimal and when using the car it is not for work related tasks or company business but the drive home, to work, out of hours ect. Its a benefit and not a tool used for their day to day jobs ( they are office based and not truckers or delivery drivers) b) we have advised a more suitable control measure to reduce the risk of sunburn by raising awareness on the dangers of the sun (newsletters & TBT) and to use sun creams and wear long sleeved clothing which offer more protection than tinted windows
The cars are regulary serviced and in good nick so we have provided them with safe equipment. Would you say this is suitable enough for a business to provide? Thank you
Regards, Butros
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Rank: Super forum user
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I remain unconvinced that dark tinted glass will do anything to reduce the temperature in the vehicle. After all, black absorbs heat, does it not? If you look at the screens that are sold to protect children, they all tend to be light in colour. Why not provide them with this type of screen, i.e. ones that can be simply attached using suction pads. Not so fashionable, but almost certainly more effective.
Chris
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Rank: Forum user
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https://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2016/04/what_its_like_to_actually_see_an_atomic_explosion.html
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Rank: Super forum user
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I once had my driving glasses made with ‘reacto light’ lenses. You know the type that darken when the light brightens and then lightens as the brightness fades away.
They didn’t work while I was driving so I went back to the optician who tested them and they worked. She placed a piece of card on half of one lense and exposed it to light. The uncovered half went dark, the proteced half didn’t.. funny to see the same lense half dark and half clear.
The problem was no UV coming throught the windscreen.
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Is UAE Company Car Window Tinting a H&S Requirement
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