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Insect Bites and Stings

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In the United States, ants sting 9.3 million people each year. Wasps, bees and spiders account for more than a million stings and bites annually. Sometimes that pesky mosquito bite needs nothing more than a little hydrocortisone cream and time to heal. But occasionally, it’s not so simple.

While most bug bites and stings are harmless, some can be dangerous if we don’t treat them properly – especially if you have an undiagnosed allergy to a particular venom, or if the bug is a disease carrier. According to the Center for Disease Control, insect bites (including spider bites) accounted for 36,100 non-fatal injuries and illnesses involving time away from work between 1992 and 1997. That’s more than 7,000 cases per year, and there is no indication that the number has decreased since that time.

In extreme cases, a reaction to a bite or sting can cause a trip to a hospital emergency room. Dr. Margaret Parsons, dermatologist and associate clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California, Davis, advises people to go to the emergency room after being stung or bitten if they experience the sensation that the throat is closing, chest pain, a persistent racing heartbeat, dizziness or vomiting.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the most common bites and stings in the United States come from mosquitoes, fleas, spiders, bees, wasps, hornets, biting flies, mites, ticks, fire ants and bedbugs. Tick bites have the potential to carry Lyme disease. Spider bites can cause serious, localized skin destruction, depending on the species. Several mosquito species carry and transmit the West Nile virus. West Nile is tricky since between 70 and 80 percent of people don’t exhibit symptoms once they’re infected. But in severe cases, patients will typically experience headaches, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea and/or rash. Hospitalization to provide fluids intravenously and pain medication may be necessary in these cases.

Types of insect bite and sting reactions include:

Localized

Within minutes of a bite or sting, localized inflammation occurs. With bee and wasp stings, pain may range from mild to severe. In some cases, swelling can last from 48 hours to one week.

Toxic Systemic

Caused by venom injections, this reaction can be difficult to distinguish from systemic allergic reactions because the signs and symptoms are similar.

Systemic Allergic

This Type I hypersensitivity causes an immediate and obvious reaction resulting in skin hives or deep tissue swelling.

Delayed

This Type III hypersensitivity has a delayed reaction that can lead to serum sickness, which typically occurs days or weeks after the sting or bite. Serum sickness can cause inflammation of different organ systems, affecting the blood vessels, nerves, brain or kidneys. It can also cause clotting abnormalities.

Fall is an active time for stinging insects and spiders. Take precautions to prevent bites and stings:

  • Avoid scented insect repellents and other products with sweet fragrances;
  • Avoid bright-colored clothes;
  • Tuck in your shirt and pant cuffs;
  • Wear long-sleeved shirts; and
  • Cover all drinks and containers.

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Driving: Make the Right Impression

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People judge us by our actions. They form opinions about us, and sometimes our company, when they watch us work. There is perhaps no more powerful image builder than the way we drive.

How many times have you witnessed a truck driver cut someone off as they made a wide turn, or totally block traffic when they parked without using warning signs? These, and other actions (whether good or bad), influence our impressions of a driver and his company. In our society, where people can capture images with smart phones and upload them via social media, millions of people can see a posted photo instantly. We can refer to the impressions these photos (and sometimes comments) produce as brand impact. Anything that produces a negative impression of a company will hurt business.

When you’re driving a company vehicle, keep in mind that you represent the company, and people are watching. To leave a positive impression, practice defensive driving. Be aware of what others are doing, and adjust your driving techniques.

Defensive driving is based on three factors: visibility, space and communication.

  • Visibility is about seeing and being seen. Be aware of the traffic behind, beside and in front of you. Constantly scan the road ahead and to the side. Check your mirrors every five seconds. Use your lights as required. This will help you avoid hazards.
  • Managing the space around your vehicle will help you avoid a collision. Maintain a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. Tailgating is a sure way to create discomfort in other drivers and can easily result in a collision, if the driver in front has to stop quickly.
  • Communicate with other road users. Make eye contact with pedestrians, cyclists and drivers at intersections. Signal whenever you want to slow down, stop, turn or change lanes. If you need to get another person’s attention, use your horn.

Finally, get to know your vehicle before you drive it. Some vehicles have different systems than you’re used to, like ignition systems, anti-lock brakes, four-wheel drive and systems for traction and stability control.

  • Read the owner’s manual. Make sure you know where all the controls and instruments are and what they do.
  • Practice using wipers and washers, headlights, high beams, heater and defroster, so you can operate them without taking your eyes off the road.
  • Check and adjust your mirrors. Find your blind spots. Many accidents happen when people change lanes and don’t see the person, cyclist or vehicle in their blind spot.

Remember to drive defensively, and keep your company brand in mind when you drive.

The Purpose of Toolbox Talks

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Although a five-minute huddle doesn’t constitute a comprehensive safety program, there are many reasons why it’s important to conduct regular Toolbox Talks. An effective Toolbox Talk will address one issue and give specific details that provide a clear understanding on the safest manner in which to use a machine, tool or perform a particular task. In addition, these group conversations are excellent opportunities to keep employees abreast of changes in regulations, safety procedures, equipment, personal protective equipment, and job assignments and responsibilities.

On most job sites, there is variation in experience, and many workers may approach the same task in a different way based on what they’ve learned over time. Routine Toolbox Talks ensure all workers are on the same page and understand that certain actions should always follow standard practices and procedures. These meetings reinforce safety training.

Toolbox Talks should always consist of two-way communication. Workers can ask questions and provide feedback on the topic of the day. If done well, these meetings help employees understand their company’s culture and send the message that everyone’s safety is important. Toolbox Talks should focus on techniques that keep workers safe and reinforce that we should never sacrifice safety for increased productivity. This consistent messaging will improve the outlook of those on the work site — reminding them that personal safety always comes first. Use your Toolbox Talk time as a powerful tool to coordinate the thinking and actions of everyone on your work site.

Complacency: Safety’s Worst Enemy

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The definition of complacency: Self-satisfaction accompanied by unawareness of actual danger or deficiencies.

Complacency happens naturally. Our brains are wired to function this way. Repetitive tasks become automatic to free up our attention to other things that are new, novel or threatening. Otherwise, the simplest tasks would overwhelm us. But a construction job site is not the place for our minds to be on automatic pilot.

The Complacency Struggle

We often criticize workers for having a complacent attitude, as though this automatic action is deliberate. But complacency is usually not the result of apathy, carelessness or a personality flaw.

While an estimated 90 percent of our behavior is automatic, we are also wired for survival. The brain constantly scans the environment for signs of danger. We notice and respond to what is unique, unusual or threatening to us. Repeated exposure to situations, even those that are potentially dangerous, dulls our defense mechanism and our awareness.

Telltale signs of complacency include overlooking small details and taking shortcuts to complete routine tasks. On a work site, we put our personal safety and the safety of others in jeopardy when we do not have our eyes and mind on task. We become even more complacent when we receive positive reinforcement for a negative act, such as:

  • Not getting stopped for speeding when we were driving over the speed limit;
  • Not falling when we stood on a chair to change a light bulb;
  • Not falling when we didn’t use proper fall protection on the work site; or
  • Not being injured or killed when we didn’t follow the confined space entry procedures.

We become more lax each time we escape the consequences of exhibiting a negative behavior. On the work site, this can mean an accident resulting in serious injury or even death.

So what should you do on the work site?

  • Follow established protocols and procedures.
  • Attend safety meetings to discuss potential hazards.
  • Wear the appropriate PPE.
  • Stop and think about safety before you begin your task.
  • Practice good housekeeping.
  • Report any and all perceived or potential hazards.
  • Watch out for each other throughout the day.

Food Safety

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How can a foodborne illness affect your work environment? Contaminated food can cause a person to become violently ill, and in some instances, can even cause death. September is Food Safety Education Month, so we’ll take a few minutes to learn about the best ways to keep food (and you), safe on the job.

The four basic steps to follow when purchasing, storing and preparing food include:

Clean

  • Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and running water before preparing food.
  • Wash counter tops, cutting boards and utensils after each use.
  • Wash fruits and vegetables and cut away any damaged or bruised areas. Do not wash meat, poultry or eggs; you can spread bacteria.

Separate

  • Keep meat, poultry, seafood and eggs separate from all other foods in your grocery cart. When you check out, place raw meat, poultry and seafood in plastic bags to keep their juices from dripping on other foods.
  • Separate meat, poultry, seafood and eggs from all other foods in your refrigerator.
  • Use separate cutting boards and plates for produce, meat, poultry, seafood and eggs.

Cook

  • Use a food thermometer. The danger zone for bacteria growth is between 40°and 140° Fahrenheit (F).
  • When using the microwave, heat food thoroughly to 165° F.
  • Keep food hot after cooking (at 140° F or above). Bacterial growth increases as food cools after cooking.

Chill

  • Refrigerate perishable, leftover and takeout foods within two hours of purchase or cooking. Keep the refrigerator at 40° F or below. Use an appliance thermometer to check the temperature.
  • Thaw meat, poultry and seafood in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
  • Don’t overstuff the refrigerator.
  • When packing your lunch, use a good thermal lunch box that will keep food thoroughly chilled until you eat it.

New Products and Machines

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Toolbox Talks often cover the same topics – fall protection, hazard communications, heat stress, ladder safety and personal protection – because it’s easy to get lackadaisical about things that we deal with on a daily basis. So we repeat the basics and encourage you to stay mindful and alert.

What happens when the tools and machines change? Manufacturers constantly come up with new and improved tools and equipment. They may not be built like the ones you’re used to, and may not operate the same way either. The change may be simple, like the shape of a trigger guard. It may make the tool easier to turn on – even when you’re not prepared for it. Or maybe there’s a new procedure to attach cutter or scraper blades. Changing the blades may be dangerous if you aren’t prepared for differences between the old and new models.

Lack of training is the big safety issue. You might think you can figure out how to set up and operate the new equipment yourself. That might work sometimes, but not all of the time. Many of the changes make operation controls or maintenance requirements so different that you need more than intuitiveness and common sense to figure out how to safely operate and care for the new equipment. That’s why manufacturers spend time and money to develop and print instruction manuals and operating guidelines. Injuries to people and damage to machines occurs when you fail to read the instruction manual.

Each year, Construction Pros magazine lists the 50 best new products for the construction industry. Demand is high for products that work faster, safer and more efficiently. Some of these new items will show up on your work site, so you should learn to use and care for them while keeping yourself and your coworkers safe.

Safety issues might include:

  • New pinch points created with new attachments. New milling or sweeping attachments may leave no room for your hands or fingers on side rails or cab columns. Your old machine may have had plenty of clearance between the attachment and the machine; the new one may not. If you aren’t aware of the changes, you may end up with a pinching or crushing injury.
  • Breaking a hollow drill bit on new hollow core drills or tangling vacuum lines you use new vacuum systems can cause injury.
  • Burns and skin rashes from new chemicals used in mastics, fillers and primers. Know what the new chemicals are, and protect yourself with the proper protective equipment. You may need new gloves made of a special material that is resistant to the new chemicals.

Never assume you know how to use, care for or store a new tool, piece of equipment or chemical. Take time to read the instructions.