# Protecting Outdoor 

# Workers from Ticks

Brenda Jacklitsch, MS National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Promoting Community IPM to Prevent

Tick- borne Diseases March 2011
The findings and conclusions in this presentation have not been formally disseminated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and should not be construed to represent any agency determination or policy.

## What is NIOSH? Is it the same as OSHA? NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health) 

### OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) Dept. of Health & Human Services (DHHS) Centers for Diseases Control & Prevention

(CDC) Dept. of Labor (DOL) Research Agency Regulatory Agency Provide Recommendations Provide & Enforce Standards

## NIOSH Services NIOSH Topic Pages: Occupational safety & health info arranged by subject. Health Hazard Evaluation Program: Investigates potentially hazardous working conditions when requested by employers or employees at no cost. NIOSH Publications: FREE documents & brochures available online or mailed. Databases: Ex. Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, etc. CDC Info: Ask questions and get answers.

# How Can We Protect Workers?

# Employer Recommendations

 Provide workers with training.
 Tick- borne Diseases  Transmission  Symptoms  Prevention



###  Encourage symptoms & illness reporting.

## Tick- borne Diseases

Lyme Disease Babesiosis Ehrlichiosis Rocky Mtn. Spotted Fever Southern Tick- Associated Rash Illness Tick- borne Relapsing Fever Anaplasmosis Colorado Tick Fever Powassan Encephalitis Q Fever Tularemia

# Tick- borne Disease Transmission

# When Are Workers at Highest Risk? Warmer Months J A N F E B M A R A P R M A Y J U N J U L A U G S E P O C T N O V D E C

## Common Symptoms of Tick- borne Diseases

 Fever  Fatigue 

###  Headache  Joint pain  Body/muscle aches  Rash Lyme Disease Rash

# Symptoms & Illness Reporting

 Show workers National & State data on Lyme Disease.  Encourage workers to report finding ticks, being bitten by ticks, and any symptoms of illness.

# Employer Recommendations

 Eliminate natural 

### conditions that attract ticks to worker areas.
 Remove leaf litter.  Keep grass mowed short.  Set rodent traps or poisons & properly store food.  Discourage deer with barriers.

# Employer Recommendations

 Discuss or provide proper clothing.
 Long sleeves & long pants.  Tuck pants into socks or boots.  Light - colored clothing for easy tick spotting.
 Provide workers with repellent.
 Products containing > 20% DEET for skin.  Permethrin for clothing.

# Employer Recommendations

 Provide instructions for appropriate ways to check for and remove ticks.
 Check skin & clothes daily for ticks.  When washing & drying clothes, use the ‘Hot’ setting on the dryer to kill ticks.  If a tick is attached to the skin, only use appropriate removal techniques.

## Proper Tick Removal
 Remove the tick as soon as you notice it. 

###  Use fine - tipped tweezers to firmly grasp the tick very close to your skin. 

###  Avoid crushing the tick’s body. 

###  With a steady motion, pull the tick’s body away from your skin. 

###  Do not be alarmed if the tick’s mouthparts remain in the skin, the tick can no longer transmit bacteria. 

###  Clean your skin with soap & warm H 2 O or alcohol. DO NOT use petroleum jelly, a hot match, nail polish, or other products to remove a tick. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/ld_tickremoval.htm

# NIOSH Resources



# for Outdoor Workers

# NIOSH Fast Facts

www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2010 - 119/

## NIOSH Topic Pages

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/tick- borne/

## NIOSH Topic Pages

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/lyme/