#Workplace Safety
By Team Seaglass
Ah, summer… Where the air is fresh, the sun is bright, and the critters are out in full force, ready to turn your workday into a wildlife documentary. For those of us working outdoors, whether maintenance, landscaping, or construction, you’re bound to encounter some of nature’s quirkiest residents. In this month’s blog, we will dive into the reality of working alongside Mother Nature’s most tenacious tenants.
The Tick Tango
These uninvited dance partners like to sneakily waltz onto the scene, ready to tango their way into your day. Ticks thrive in humid environments with plenty of foliage such as tall grasses and brush, woodlands and shaded tree cover. Ticks don’t fly around, but rather, they attach themselves to your clothing when walking around in these work environments and climb their way up your body to find a dark, warm area to feed. These bites can transmit Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and HGA (Human granulocyte anaplasmosis).
Safety Tips
- Wear protective clothing (long sleeves, long pants, socks, closed-toe shoes) to create a barrier between your skin and ticks. Tuck pants into socks to limit tick access.
- Apply an EPA approved insect repellant
- Check your body for ticks and shower at the end of the workday. Remember that ticks like dark places, so pay special attention to areas like the scalp, behind the ears, under arms, etc.
- If you find a tick, remove it promptly using fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible and pull upward. Don’t squeeze the body of the tick, as this may not remove the entire tick.
The Mosquito Mafia
No summer workday is complete without a run-in with the mosquito mafia. These tiny, winged gangsters have a taste for blood and a knack for organized irritation. Mosquito bites are not only irritating from their itchy rash, but they can also transmit diseases such as West Nile Virus, Zika Virus, Malaria, Dengue Fever. Mosquitos lay their eggs in standing water such as garbage cans, bird baths and flowerpots, clogged gutters, poor drainage areas, etc. These breeding grounds are often found near common outdoor work areas, making workers vulnerable to their bite.
Safety Tips
- Remove standing water
- Avoid peak mosquito hours (dawn and dusk)
- Apply an EPA approved insect repellent
- Wear protective clothing (long sleeves, long pants, socks, closed-toed shoes)
The Bee Brigade
Next there is the bee brigade, those buzzing bullies of the sky. Bees are important pollinators, but when you’re just trying to hammer a nail or plant some flowers, their relentless buzzing can feel like a personal attack. Bee and wasp stings are usually worse than their bite. For many, the pain of a sting is usually minimal and short-lived, but for some with allergies, it can be deadly.
Safety Tips
- Tightly cover food containers and trash cans. Bees are attracted to scents
- Wear light-colored clothing to cover as much of the body as possible
- Avoid scented soaps, shampoos, and deodorants
- Avoid flowering plants when possible
- Remain calm if a single bee is flying around you (swatting may cause the bee to become aggressive)
- If you encounter a swarm of bees, run to get away from them (bees release a chemical when they sting that attracts other bees)
- Workers with allergies to insect bites should wear a medical identification bracelet and carry an EpiPen for emergency response
- If stung, seek a medical attention to remove the stinger
The Poison Plant Patrol
Working outside can sometimes feel like a botanical “booby trap” when you accidentally brush up against
poison ivy, oak, or sumac. Poison Ivy can be found throughout the US, while Poison Oak and Poison Sumac are most commonly found in the south/central US.
Poison Ivy Poison Oak Poison Sumac
We’ve all heard the saying “Leaves of three, let them be!”. It has always been a helpful reminder for identifying these poisonous plants, but there are differences in the types of leaves, with or without berries, and how they grow. For example, Poison Ivy and Poison Oak both have three leaves on each stem, but on the east coast the ivy is usually vine-like, and on the west coast, it looks more like a low-lying shrub that doesn’t climb like vines. Sumac, on the other hand, looks much like a low-lying shrub with 7-12 leaves per stem.
These plants contain an oil that rubs onto our skin as we brush against them. About 85% of Americans develop some level of allergic reaction to these oils, producing an itchy rash on their skin. Most people don’t realize they are allergic until exposed. So, its important to protect yourself when planning to work near wooded areas.
Tune in next month for our continued adventure with summertime critters !