BLR’s Safety Training Presentations

BLR’s Safety Training Presentations BLR’s Safety Training Presentations Working Safely Outdoors

Goals • Poisonous Plants and Insects • Snakes, Animals, Heat, and Cold • Quiz

Plants • Poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac • Itchy rash, bumps, blisters • Sticky sap—urushiol oil • Poison ivy is not contagious

Protection from Plants • “Leaves of three, let them be” • Plant or vine with glossy green leaves • Where are these plants found? • Long sleeves and pants • Boots and gloves

Poison Plants First Aid • Wash up when done working outdoors • Touch poison ivy—wash three times • Cleanse area withrubbing alcohol • Aspirin, hydrocortisone, antihistamines • Try not to scratch

Insect Bites and Stings • Wasps, bees, spiders • Swelling, redness, itching, pain • Allergic reaction—hives, dizziness, nausea • Severe reactions—trouble breathing or swallowing, shock, death

Spider Bites • Generally harmless • Black widow • Stomach pain, breathing difficulty, sweating, tingling • Brown recluse • See a doctor immediately

Preventing Insect Bites • Wear long sleeves and pants • Wear white or light colors • Don’t wear cologne or perfume • Use insect repellent • Don’t swat at insects • Avoid yard work if allergic • Wear gloves

Insect Bite First Aid • Apply ice • Use hydrocortisone cream • Remove stinger • Carry an allergy kit • Wear a medical ID tag • Discuss allergy shots with your doctor

Lyme Disease • Early localized Lyme disease • Disseminated Lyme disease • Diagnosis • Treatment Deer ticks (Black-legged tick) Larva stage Nymph stage Adult stage Engorged adult www.lyme.org

Preventing Lyme Disease • Learn how ticks get on you • Avoid tick-infested areas • Wear long clothing • Use tick repellent • Perform Frequent tick checks • Remove ticks properly

Snakebites • 7,000-8,000 venomous snakebites yearly • Infections or allergic reactions • Reactions to venom • Pit vipers • Coral snakes

Snakebite First Aid • Wash the bite with soap and water • Immobilize the bitten area • Get medical help • Wrap bandage above the bite • Use a suction device • Do not use ice, tourniquets, electrical shock

Avoiding Snakebites • Leave snakes alone • Stay out of tall grass • Keep hands out of areas you can’t see • Be alert when climbing rocks

Animal Bites • Bites and scratches can become infected • Stop the bleeding • Wash the wound • Cover with sterile bandage • Get medical attention • Locate the animal

Rabies • Viral infection of warm-blooded animals • Transfers through cut, scratch, or bite • Early rabies symptoms • More severe symptoms of rabies • Diagnosis and treatment

Avoiding Animal Bites • Avoid strange and sick animals • Do not try to separate fighting animals • Leave animals alone when they are eating • Do not approach a wild animal • Back slowly from threatening animal • Wrap arm in jacket or towel

Heat-Related Illness • Heat rash • Heat fainting • Heat cramps • Heat exhaustion • Heat stroke

Preventing and Treating Heat Illness • Get acclimated to the heat • Provide ventilation and cooling • Control the work done in hot conditions • Wear protective or cooling clothing • Drink plenty of fluids

Exposure to Cold • Hypothermia • Symptoms of hypothermia • Frostbite • Symptoms of frostbite

Treatment and Prevention of Cold Exposure • First aid for hypothermia • First aid for frostbite • Heated shelters • Administrative controls • Protective clothing

Pesticides and Herbicides • Hazardous substances • Labels and MSDS • PPE • First-aid procedures

Equipment and Tools • Fires from gas or sparks • Sharp power tools • Dangerous hand tools • Flying objects • Heavy, awkward lifting • Rough objects

Summary • Recognize poisonous plants • Protect yourself from insects • Avoid snakes and wild animals • Drink fluids in hot conditions • Wear PPE when using pesticides

Quiz 1. Describe the symptoms of heat exhaustion. 2. Describe the symptoms of hypothermia. 3. What are some symptoms of localized Lyme disease? 4. Name the two families of snakes that are venomous in the U.S. 5. What animals in North America primarily carry rabies?

Quiz (cont.) 6. What does poison ivy look like? 7. What does a black widow spider look like? 8. What type of clothes should you wear to prevent insect bites or stings? 9. What should you do if bitten or scratched by an animal? 10. What should you read before working with pesticides?

Quiz Answers 1. Weakness, dizziness, nausea, irritability, confusion, clammy skin, pale complexion 2. Shivering, confusion, warm sensation, slurred speech 3. Flu-like symptoms, enlarging rash that resembles a bruise 4. Pit vipers and coral snakes 5. Skunks, raccoons, foxes, and bats

Quiz Answers (cont.) 6. Clusters of three leaves 7. Glossy black with a red hourglass mark on the underside of the abdomen 8. Tight-fitting long sleeves and long pants 9. Stop the bleeding, wash the wound, get medical attention 10. Container label or MSDS

BLR’s Safety Training Presentations