Pools of standing or stagnant water become

breeding grounds for mosquitoes, increasing the

risk of encephalitis, West Nile virus or other mosquito-borne diseases. The presence of wild animals in populated areas increases the risk of diseases caused by animal bites (e.g., rabies) as well

as diseases carried by fleas and ticks.

Protect Yourself

After a major flood, it is often difficult to maintain

good hygiene during cleanup operations. To

avoid waterborne disease, it is important to wash

your hands with soap and clean, running water,

especially before work breaks, meal breaks, and at

the end of the work shift. Workers should assume

that any water in flooded or surrounding areas is

not safe unless the local or state authorities

have specifically declared it to be safe. If no safe

water supply is available for washing, use bottled

water, water that has been boiled for at least 10

minutes or chemically disinfected water. (To disinfect water, use 5 drops of liquid household

bleach to each gallon of water and let it sit for at

least 30 minutes for disinfection to be completed.)

Water storage containers should be rinsed periodically with a household bleach solution.

If water is suspected of being contaminated with

hazardous chemicals, cleanup workers may need

to wear special chemical resistant outer clothing

and protective goggles. Before entering a contaminated area that has been flooded, you should

don plastic or rubber gloves, boots, and other

protective clothing needed to avoid contact with

floodwater.

Floodwater

Floodwater often contains infectious organisms,

including intestinal bacteria such as E. coli,

Salmonella, and Shigella; Hepatitis A Virus; and

agents of typhoid, paratyphoid and tetanus. The

signs and symptoms experienced by the victims

of waterborne microorganisms are similar, even

though they are caused by different pathogens.

These symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, muscle aches, and fever.

Most cases of sickness associated with flood conditions are brought about by ingesting contaminated food or water. Tetanus, however, can be

acquired from contaminated soil or water entering

broken areas of the skin, such as cuts, abrasions,

or puncture wounds. Tetanus is an infectious disease that affects the nervous system and causes

severe muscle spasms, known as lockjaw. The

symptoms may appear weeks after exposure and

may begin as a headache, but later develop into

difficulty swallowing or opening the jaw.

Floodwaters also may be contaminated by agricultural or industrial chemicals or by hazardous

agents present at flooded hazardous waste sites.

Flood cleanup crew members who must work

near flooded industrial sites also may be exposed

to chemically contaminated floodwater. Although

different chemicals cause different health effects,

the signs and symptoms most frequently associated with chemical poisoning are headaches, skin

rashes, dizziness, nausea, excitability, weakness,

and fatigue. 

FactSheet

Flood Cleanup

Flooding can cause the disruption of water purification and sewage disposal systems, overflowing of toxic waste sites, and dislodgement of chemicals previously

stored above ground. Although most floods do not cause serious outbreaks of

infectious disease or chemical poisonings, they can cause sickness in workers

and others who come in contact with contaminated floodwater. In addition,

flooded areas may contain electrical or fire hazards connected with downed

power lines.
Decrease the risk of mosquito and other insect

bites by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants,

and by using insect repellants. Wash your hands

with soap and water that has been boiled or disinfected before preparing or eating foods, after

using the bathroom, after participating in flood

cleanup activities, and after handling articles contaminated by floodwater. In addition, children

should not be allowed to play in floodwater or

with toys that have been in contact with floodwater. Toys should be disinfected.

What to Do If Symptoms Develop

If a cleanup worker experiences any of the signs

or symptoms listed above, appropriate first aid

treatment and medical advice should be sought. If

the skin is broken, particularly with a puncture

wound or a wound that comes into contact with

potentially contaminated material, a tetanus vaccination may be needed if it has been five years or

more since the individual’s last tetanus shot.

Tips to Remember

• Before working in flooded areas, be sure that

your tetanus shot is current (given within the

last 10 years). Wounds that are associated with

a flood should be evaluated for risk; a physician may recommend a tetanus immunization.

This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies or 

standards. It does not impose any new compliance requirements. For a comprehensive list of 

compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations, refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal

Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request.

The voice phone is (202) 693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889-5627.

• Consider all water unsafe until local authorities

announce that the public water supply is safe.

• Do not use contaminated water to wash and

prepare food, brush your teeth, wash dishes,

or make ice.

• Keep an adequate supply of safe water available

for washing and potable water for drinking.

• Be alert for chemically contaminated floodwater at industrial sites.

• Use extreme caution with potential chemical

and electric hazards, which have great potential for fires and explosions. Floods have the

strength to move and/or bury hazardous waste

and chemical containers far from their normal

storage places, creating a risk for those who

come into contact with them. Any chemical

hazards, such as a propane tank, should be

handled by the fire department or police.

• If the safety of a food or beverage is questionable, throw it out. 

• Seek immediate medical care for all animal

bites.

U.S. Department of Labor

www.osha.gov

(800) 321-OSHA

For more complete information:

DSTM 9/2005