The UV Index – What’s it all about.
| UV Index Level | Exposure Category | Colour Code | Precautions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 or less | Low |  |
You can safetly stay outdoors with minimal protection. |
| 3 to 5 | Moderate |  |
Wear a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, seek shady areas. |
| 6 to 7 | High |  |
Wear a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, seek shady areas. Stay indoors between 10am and 2pm (11-3 daylight saving time). |
| 8 to 10 | Very High |  |
Stay indoors as much as possible, otherwise use all precautions above. |
| 11 or higher | Extreme |  |
Same as above |
The amount of ultraviolet radiation is rated according to standardized categories, which are colour coded for easy recognition. Advice accompanies according to the amount of exposure.
The World Health Organisation, The Cancer Council of Australia and The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) reccommend appropriate protection when the UV index is 3 or above. Note when the UV index is High to Extreme it is reccommended to remain indoors.
In Brisbane we can access LIVE realtime UV readings via the internet on www.uv.hlth.qut.edu.au posted by the Australian Sun and Health Research Laboratory at Queensland University of Technology. This can allow prospective timetabling of outdoor activities.
ARPANSA now also post realtime UV graphs via http://www.arpansa.gov.au/uvindex/realtime/index.cfm for the major cities in Australia. There are also charts for the months or past years available on www.arpansa.gov.au/uvindex/daily/ausuvindex.htm for comparison.
UV alerts predicting the expected UV graph are also located in the daily newspaper and on weather reports on television and radio.