New rules on sun exposure divide EU lawmakers (Reuters)

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Parliament is split over controversial legislation intended to protect workers from over-exposure to sunshine, ahead of a vote next week.

The 732-member assembly will vote next Wednesday on a bill which seeks to protect workers from exposure to artificial and natural forms of radiation which can damage eyes and skin.

Tabloid media in Europe had a field day with the draft European Union rules during the summer, with Britain's Sun newspaper running a 'Save our Jugs' campaign amid fears that barmaids with low-cut tops would have to cover up.

Conservatives and liberals in the EU assembly are against mandatory rules that would force employers to evaluate the risks of sunshine to their staff working outdoors. Instead, the EU's 25 member states should decide individually whether employers need to act, spokesmen from the two groups said on Friday.

But Socialist and Green members want construction workers, barmaids and other people working outdoors to be informed of the risks, especially with rising rates of skin cancer.

"We think the directive here is justified. But it's been really portrayed in a very distorted fashion," said a Green spokesman.

The European Commission, author of the Optical Radiation Directive, said employers were liable for the health and safety of their workers and that EU-wide rules were necessary.

"The parliament wants the member states themselves to decide whether sunlight is a risk or not," said Commission spokeswoman Katharina Von Schnurbein.

"That's totally unacceptable for the Commission."

But small and medium-sized firms said the rules were costly and over the top.

"Small firms with employees outdoors, for example cafs and construction firms, have neither the resources nor, more importantly, the expertise to undertake sufficient scientific analysis," said European small and medium business organization (UEAPME) Secretary General Hans-Werner Mueller in a statement.

"These proposals would place an unmanageable burden on small and medium businesses and could open up a can of worms with regard to legal liability."