Bites and Stings Avoidance

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  University of Texas at Tyler. Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention, and Education
• Description:
  Summer is here, along with countless critters that bite and sting. The southwest United States is home to a wide assortment of bees, scorpions, snakes and spiders who use poisons to defend themselves. The treatment for bites and stings varies depending on the critter, but we can all agree that it is better to avoid the encounter altogether. Consider the following strategies to avoid catching one of these southern residents on their bad side. Bees: Stay clear of well established hives, wild or commercial. Commercial hives usually look like white boxes and are clustered in fields near a pollen sources; Be careful around hollow trees, rock crevices, or other sheltered locations; Avoid old or abandoned buildings, sheds and vehicles; Old upholstery is an ideal bumblebee habitat. Be careful when moving pieces that have been outside; Do not use heavily scented soaps, perfumes or colognes. Scorpions: Wear gloves when working outside or in barns and storage buildings; Be observant while hand harvesting or gardening; Be cautious when moving rocks, firewood, lumber and old boxes. Scorpions frequently nest under bark or in other concealed locations; Do not leave clothing or bedding on the floor and always shake these items before use. Scorpions are common in houses and near new construction sites. Snakes Wear long pants and boots; Watch where you sit or place your hands and feet; Do not reach into spaces you cannot see; Be very cautious walking through high grass or rocky areas; Be observant as you move firewood, lumber or other building materials; Step on fallen logs, not over them; Examine the ground around bodies of water; Be particularly aware at night when snakes are more active; If you see or hear a snake, back away. Snakes can strike about 1/3 of their body length. Spiders: Wear gloves when working outside or in barns and storage buildings; Never reach into areas you cannot see; Exercise caution when moving rocks or wood; Be careful in attics, crawl spaces, basements and closets; Look carefully into corners and crevices of buildings, porches or boxes; Use a stick to sweep under the seat of outdoor toilets to dislodge venomous guests. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Health Promotion Insecta Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Protective Clothing Public Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Health Promotion Injury Prevention Insects Protective Clothing Public Health Snakes Spiders
• Publisher:
  The Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention, and Education
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Newsletter
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 6 ; Texas
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20053573
• Citation:
  Monthly Safety Blast. Tyler, TX: The Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention, and Education, 2012 Jun; :1
• Contact Point Address:
  Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention & Education 11937 US Hwy 271, Tyler, TX 75708-3154
• Email:
  agcenter@uthct.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  University of Texas Health Center at Tyler
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20010930
• Source Full Name:
  Monthly Safety Blast
• End Date:
  20270929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:14d81156caaf411b682b545c483d26b509f90ea50c7ee86be2478d314e6d12124bd18aff7ed5e35373272191ea6d9f9d04acb092008866315a22c19e01c8758f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/216301/cdc_216301_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 60.08 KB ]