Final answer:
The possible cause of the co-worker's sunburn is spending too much time in the sun without protection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The possible cause of the co-worker's sunburn is that they spent too much time in the sun.
Sunburn occurs when the outer layer of the skin is damaged by UV light from the sun or tanning lamps. UV-B and UV-C radiation can damage collagen fibers and accelerate the aging process of the skin. Repeated exposure to UV rays can also increase the likelihood of developing skin cancer.
In this case, the co-worker's sunburn can be attributed to spending excessive time in the sun without proper protection.