Safety First: Protecting Your Team from Insects at the Workplace

From oppressive heat waves and hurricanes to insect bites and stings, there are a lot of factors recyclers need to pay attention to during the summer months. Luckily, ReMA's Safety Team has you covered with tips and advice to ensure that when working in the summer, you do so safely or not at all.

Insects can be a problem in the summer, especially for individuals who are allergic to insect bites. The most common stinging insects are bees, wasps, hornets, yellow-jackets, and fire ants. Be aware of your surroundings. Learn about what types of exposure risks may be in your area and make those additions to your emergency action plan.

"Bees are more aggressive in the late summer, so, while it's still early, identify employees who you know are allergic," said Jerry Sjogren, ReMA's Senior Director of Safety. "Make sure people can identify bee nests and let staff know that they should alert their managers if they have severe allergies to bee stings. sIf employees have EpiPens, make sure you know where they are and how to assist them if necessary. Be prepared to call an ambulance. Often an EpiPen just buys time, if an allergy is severe enough the person still needs to go to the hospital."

Although companies can't ask their employees about their medical conditions, ReMA recommends informing employees that are working outdoors or in certain environments of the potential for insect stings, and for employers to keep allergy and itch relief medicine on site.

Another best practice for individuals who may not want to divulge their medical conditions, like severe allergies, is to put a piece of tape with the information into their hard hats so that if something happens to them, their coworkers or employers can easily find the information and get them the help they need.

Ticks are another common problem. Sjogren recommends spraying tick repellent ahead of time, especially if you're working in an area with heavy grass.

"It's still important to do a tick check after you come back from work because these insects can still cling to your clothes," he said. "Be aware of the signs of Lyme Disease, you develop round rashes around your body, not necessarily where the tick bit occurred."

Photo by Dmitry Grigoriev on Unsplash.