Safety News
NIOSH Focus - Hazards to Outdoor Workers
Outdoor workers are exposed to many types of hazards that depend on their type of work, geographic region, season, and duration of time they are outside. Industry sectors with outdoor workers include the agriculture, forestry, fishing, construction, mining, transportation, warehousing, utilities, and service sectors. Outdoor workers include farmers, foresters, landscapers, groundskeepers, gardeners, painters, roofers, pavers, construction workers, laborers, mechanics, and any other worker who spends time outside. Employers should train outdoor workers about their workplace hazards, including hazard identification and recommendations for preventing and controlling their exposures.
Physical hazards to outdoor workers may include extreme heat, extreme cold, noise, lightning, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Extreme heat conditions can cause heat stroke, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat rash, and other problems. Extreme cold conditions can cause hypothermia, frostbite, and other problems. Too much noise exposure may cause a temporary change in hearing or a temporary ringing in workers' ears (tinnitus). Repeated exposures to loud noise can lead to permanent, incurable hearing loss or tinnitus. Lightning kills about 80 people in the United States each year and injures hundreds. Among construction workers, laborers, machine operators, engineers, roofers, and pipefitters have been struck by lightning most often on the job. UV radiation can cause problems such as sunburn and skin cancer.
Biological hazards include vector-borne diseases, venomous wildlife and insects, and poisonous plants. Vector-borne diseases may be spread to workers by insects, such as mosquitoes, or ticks. When a mosquito or tick bites a worker, it may transfer a disease-causing agent, such as a parasite, bacterium, or virus. Mosquito-borne diseases include West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis, eastern equine encephalitis, western equine encephalitis, and LaCrosse encephalitis. Tick-borne diseases include Lyme disease, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, southern tick-associated rash illness, tularemia, tick-borne relapsing fever, anaplasmosis, Colorado tick fever, Powassan encephalitis, and Q fever
Summertime = Tick Time
Tick-borne pathogens can be passed to humans by the bite of infected ticks. Ticks can be infected with bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Some of the most common tick-borne diseases in the United States include: Lyme disease, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, anaplasmosis, Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness, Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever, and tularemia. Other tick-borne diseases in the United States include: Colorado tick fever, Powassan encephalitis, and Q fever. Lyme disease is the most commonly reported tick-borne disease in the United States. In 2005, more than 23,000 cases of Lyme disease were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Outdoor workers are at risk of exposure to tick-borne diseases if they work at sites with ticks. Worksites with woods, bushes, high grass, or leaf litter are likely to have more ticks. Outdoor workers in most regions of the United States should be extra careful to protect themselves in the spring, summer, and fall when ticks are most active. Ticks may be active all year in some regions with warmer weather.
Take the following steps to protect yourself from tick bites:
Wear a hat and light-colored clothing, including long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into boots or socks.
Use insect repellents that provide protection for the amount of time you will be outdoors:
Follow repellent label directions for use.
Use repellents containing 20%-30% DEET on your exposed skin and clothing to prevent tick bites.
Reapply repellents as needed.
Use repellents such as Permethrin for greater protection.
Permethrin kills ticks on contact.
Permethrin can be used on clothing but should not be used on skin.
One application of permethrin to pants, socks, and shoes typically stays effective through several washings.
Check your skin and clothes for ticks every day. The immature forms of these ticks are very small and may be hard to see.
Remember to check your hair, underarms, and groin for ticks.
Immediately remove ticks from your body using fine-tipped tweezers.
Grasp the tick firmly and as close to your skin as possible.
Pull the tick's body away from your skin with a steady motion.
Clean the area with soap and water.
Wash and dry work clothes in a hot dryer to kill any ticks present.
Learn the symptoms of tick-borne diseases.
If you develop symptoms of a tick-borne disease seek medical attention promptly. Be sure to tell your health care provider that you work outdoors in an area where ticks may be present.
Downed Trees and Branches from Summer Thunderstorms
Summer thunderstorms often leave behind downed trees and branches, placing tree removal crews very much in demand. When power lines are involved, there can be a number of hazards inherent in tree trimming or removal of debris. Homeowners and employees working to clear away trees should have an understanding of proper safety measures. Here are a few recommendations from OSHA:
Do not do any tree trimming or removal work within ten feet of a power line unless you are a trained line-clearance tree trimmer.
Do not trim or remove trees in hazardous weather conditions.
Only use heavy equipment, such as chain saws, if you have received proper training to operate it safely.
Determine the tree's falling direction before cutting it down.
OSHA's Tree Trimming & Removal QuickCard? (English/Spanish) is a useful resource explaining some of the precautionary measures that everyone should take to protect themselves when clearing away trees.
Prepare for the Hot Weather Ahead
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health offers these recommendations (requirements in California) to prevent heat illness.
Training - Train all employees and supervisors about heat illness prevention.
Water - Provide enough fresh water so that each employee can drink at least one quart per hour, and encourage them to do so. [Ed. Note - electrolyte replacement beverages are an excellent solution.]
Shade - Provide access to shade for at least 5 minutes of rest when an employee believes he or she needs a preventative recovery period. They should not wait until they feel sick to do so.
Planning - Develop and implement written procedures for complying with the Cal/OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Standard.
Off-the-Job Safety: Tips for Residents in Flood Areas
By Laura Walter
As residents in the Midwest begin their cleanup efforts following days of severe flooding, the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) offers health and safety tips for residents returning to their homes and businesses.
"RIA members are in a unique position to provide expertise on restoration under these circumstances," says RIA President Rusty Amarante, "but our primary concern is the safety of the individuals returning to their homes and businesses. There are many unseen hazards and we want to protect them from further injury."
According to RIA, residents returning to flooded areas should enter premises only during daylight hours and avoid using candles or gas lanterns. Children, pregnant women and people with health problems should avoid the flooded area until cleanup is complete.
RIA also offered the following tips:
Wear sturdy rubber gloves and boots.
Watch for sharp objects and contaminated materials in deep waters.
Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated, and rest frequently to avoid overheating and exertion.
Wash hands and face frequently using an anti-microbial soap and keep fingers away from eyes, nose and mouth.
Have a first-aid kit handy, and treat cuts and abrasions immediately with an antibiotic ointment.
Confirm that the water is clean and safe. If there is a boil-water advisory, boil water for washing for at least one minute or add 1 teaspoon of household bleach per gallon of water and let stand for 30 minutes.
Leave the house immediately if there is an odor of gas or any suggestion of instability in the structure. Notify authorities and wait for an authorized inspection before re-entering.
If the power is off, turn the main electrical breaker off and tape it down to prevent it from accidentally turning on when the power is restored.
If you have oil or propane, turn off the fuel valve at the tank. Turn off natural gas at the meter.
Do not attempt to vacuum water with anything other than a vacuum specifically designed for wet pickup.
Treat all water-impacted surfaces and furnishings as if contaminated and toxic.
Do call an experienced restoration firm for professional emergency and clean up services.
For more information or to locate a restoration professional in your area, visit the RIA website at http://www.restorationindustry.org.
THICK OR THIN - EITHER WAY YOU WIN- Chemical resistant gloves are available in a wide range of thicknesses. Thinner gloves offer more tactile sensitivity. Thicker gloves offer more durability and protection against chemical permeation and degradation.
COATING GLOATING - EYEWEAR - Protective eyewear is available with fog-free coatings as well as anti-scratch coatings.
COATING GLOATING - GLOVES - Industrial gloves are available with protective coatings of latex rubber, neoprene and nitrile synthetic rubbers, PVC and PVA and PU plastics - each with different properties for protection against chemicals, abrasion, cuts and punctures, and tactile sensitivity.
OSHA HEARS YOU - YOU HEAR OSHA - Your workers are entitled to a choice of hearing protection to achieve desired levels of protection with comfort. Many different types of earplugs and earmuffs are available to help you comply with this important requirement.
DIVERSE WORKFORCE - DIVERSE PRODUCTS - Smart business and regulatory compliance demand that PPE properly fit the worker to be effective. Respirators and protective eyewear are available to fit Asian and Hispanic workers with unique facial characteristics.
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