<font color=blue>INDUSTRY BUZZ</font> Avoid Summer Hazards

Summer is here and it is time to think about risks your employees face while working outdoors. It is important to prevent or mitigate hazards that may arise due to hot weather, such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, insect bites and overexposure to the sun.
 
During Hortica’s more than 116 years serving the horticultural industry, our loss control representatives have helped numerous clients avoid warm-weather related problems.
 

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Each week, our industry experts will tackle one of four topics - Business, Legislation, Water Use and Noise & Air Pollution - and discuss how those issues can impact you as a green industry professional. This week, to coincide with National Safety Month, loss control managers at Hortica discuss ways to avoid summer workplace hazards. Be sure to share your thoughts on the Lawn & Landscape Message Board. Let's get the buzz going!

Based on our experience, the most common risks during the summer months fall into a few categories.  Keeping employees aware of these hazards and insisting upon preventative measures can help you avoid losses.

Heat Stroke

When temperatures are above 90 degrees, humidity is high and you work outdoors in the sun, it can be difficult to stay cool.  You can suffer from heat cramps, heat exhaustion and in some cases heat stroke, which can be severe enough to cause brain damage or even death.  Heat stroke warning symptoms include:

• Very hot and dry skin; an individual suffering from heat stroke will not be sweating;
• A strong, fast pulse with a very high body temperature (106 deg. – 112
                  deg. F);
• Confused, strange, or angry behavior;
• Feelings of being chilled, nauseated, or dizzy;
• Unconsciousness.

If you or an employee is experiencing these symptoms, contact emergency personnel right away. Apply a cool wet cloth to victim’s head, armpits, groin and chest areas. Use a fan and/or cold packs if available.  Keep the victim lying down with his or her feet raised.
 
To avoid heat stroke, take frequent breaks and drink plenty of cool water or sports drinks.  Even when you’re not thirsty, your body is losing fluids, which need to be replaced.  If you know you’ll be exposed to greater heat or humidity than normal, spend time in similar conditions for several days to help your body adjust.
Heat Exhaustion
 
Heat exhaustion is more difficult to diagnose than heatstroke; however it is far less serious unless ignored.  The onset of heat exhaustion is usually accompanied by dizziness, faintness, fatigue, weakness, anxiety and nausea. The skin can turn cool and moist and often the victim will experience drenching sweats.  Heat exhaustion can lead to circulatory collapse, with symptoms including a slow pulse, cold, pale, clammy skin and disorientation followed by  unconsciousness.        

If an employee suffers from heat exhaustion he or she should be moved to a cool or shady area. Place the victim flat or with his or her head slightly down.   When victim starts responding, small amounts of sugar water can be given. Apply a cool damp cloth or use a fan, if available, to help cool down victim.
 
Some tips to avoid heat exhaustion include eating a light meal that can be
easily digested and avoid eating a lot of high-fat or high-protein foods before going out.  Wear loose light clothing, apply sun block and drink plenty of water before going out into the sun and continue to drink plenty of water throughout the day.  Sports drinks are good because they help replace the minerals you lose when you sweat.  Avoid caffinated drinks, which can cause dehydration.

Insect Stings

Insect stings are another concern during the summer months. One of the most worrisome insect bites is the bee sting.  Although bees do not normally attack unless provoked, it is still best to avoid them if possible.  Follow these tips to avoid being stung by a bee:

• Wear light colored clothing that is tightly woven and covers your arms and legs;
• Always wear shoes. Most bee stings occur on feet;
• Be cautious of plants that attract bees and wasps;
• Remember that insect repellent does not deter bees and wasps.

If you or an employee should have a reaction to a bee sting, seek emergency help as soon as possible.  Symptoms of a reaction include a rash, shortness of breath, wheezing, dizziness, a swollen face or fatigue.
 
Multiple stings can cause vomiting, diarrhea, headache or a fever.  These symptoms are not as serious, but a doctor should be consulted.

Wasps/Hornets/Yellow Jackets
 
Thousands of people in the United States die each year from allergic reactions to the venom of these insects.  Wasps, hornets and yellow jackets are more dangerous than bees and should be treated with care and caution.
 
Wasps typically build their nests under ledges.  Yellow jacket nests are often located underground in an old rodent burrow, beneath a landscape timber, or in a rock wall or wall of a building. 
 
If the nest can be located, it can usually be eliminated by carefully applying a wasp spray insecticide into the nest opening. Wasp and hornet sprays are sold at most grocery and hardware stores. An advantage of this type of elimination is that they can spray as far as 20 feet away.  Another advantage is that most sprays cause insects to drop instantly when contacted by the insecticide.
 
The best time to treat for wasps and yellow jackets is at night.  Find the nest opening during the daytime. Approach the nest slowly and do not shine a flashlight directly into the nest entrance as this may startle the wasps; instead, cast the beam to the side to illuminate the nest indirectly and place the light on the ground rather than in your hand.  Be careful not to stand directly below a nest when spraying.
 
Following treatment, wait a least a day before removing the nest to make sure all the wasps have been killed, then scrape or knock down the nest. This will prevent secondary problems from carpet beetles, ants and other scavenging insects.  If wasps continue to be observed, the application may need to be repeated.
 
Hornets are more difficult and dangerous to control than wasps and yellow jackets.  Hornets’ nests resemble a large, inverted teardrop shaped ball usually attached to a tree, bush or side of a building.  The nests may contain thousands of hornets, which are extremely aggressive when disturbed. The nests are often located out of reach and removal should be by a professional pest control company.
 
Zach Bruce and Jill Hoffmann are loss control managers at Hortica Insurance & Employee Benefits. For more information on preventing heat-related illnesses and accidents, contact Hortica at 800/851-7740 or visit the Hortica Web site at www.hortica-insurance.com.