Ahhh, August. Long summer nights around the backyard barbecue, on the beach, or at the campfire. Scenes of idyllic bliss … until the sound of incessant buzzing is heard. Darn those pesky mosquitoes!
Ensuring mosquito-free work and recreation is more than just a quest for unhindered relaxation. Mosquitoes can carry several harmful diseases, which include malaria, yellow fever, and dengue fever. Here in the United States, the two main diseases are:
- Encephalitis (including Eastern and Western Equine, St. Louis, and LaCrosse) and
- West Nile Virus
These diseases can be minor or severe, sometimes even leading to coma or death.
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Train your workers to recognize the symptoms for encephalitis and West Nile Virus, which are often similar and can develop between 3 days and 14 days after a mosquito bite. They include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Body aches
- Swollen lymph glands
- Skin rash
- Neck stiffness
- Muscle weakness
- Vision loss
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Numbness
- Paralysis
- Seizures
- Stupor
- Disorientation
Urge employees to seek treatment if they have these symptoms after being bitten by mosquitoes.
Avoid Mosquito Bites
Instruct workers to take these precautions—at work and at home—to avoid mosquito-borne diseases:
- Cover skin—particularly in the morning and evening when mosquitoes are most active—by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks.
- Don’t wear perfume or cologne, which may attract mosquitoes.
- Use insect repellent with DEET on skin that is not covered by clothing. The more DEET a repellent contains, the longer time it can protect from mosquito bites, with protection times ranging from 1 hour (4.75% DEET) to 5 hours (23.8% DEET).
- Spray insect repellent on clothing, because it’s possible for mosquitoes to bite through thin clothing.
- Don’t spray aerosol or pump products in enclosed areas or directly on the face. Spray on hands and carefully rub on face, avoiding contact with eyes and mouth.
- Use soap and water to wash skin that has been treated with insect repellent after returning indoors.
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Keep Mosquitoes Away
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water, so explain to your workers how to mosquito-proof their outdoor work area and home yard by getting rid of standing water.
- Don’t leave containers that can accumulate water in an uncovered or upright position, including wheelbarrows, drums, buckets, cans, and tarps.
- Put holes in containers that can’t be covered to drain water.
- Drain or pump out collected water from rain gutters and ditches.
- Fill in potholes, patches, and other areas where water can accumulate.
- Unclog roof gutters.
- Change water in animal feeders every few days.
Why It Matters
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are around 300 to 1,500 cases of encephalitis each year.
- There are between 650 and 1,400 cases of West Nile Virus each year.
- By educating your workers to take the safety precautions in this Training Tip, you can avoid sick workers and lost work time.