Working outdoors in Minnesota can potentially expose employees to a variety of hazards. Click on the tabs to find out more information about topics relevant to working safely outdoors.
NIOSH: Hazards to Outdoor Workers
This Hazards to Outdoor Workers website contains a brief overview of physical, biological, and disease hazards an individual might encounter while working outdoors.
MDH: Vector-Born Diseases: “Summer Bugs” (Mosquitoes, Ticks, Other Pests)
Ticks and Tickborne Diseases
- MDH: ticks website (including informative powerpoint slides)
- University of Minnesota: ticks website
- How to Remove a Tick: CDC description; and a concise video demonstration
- If you find an embedded tick then let your supervisor know. After the tick is removed we want to observe the site for the next couple weeks to ensure that there is no infection.
Insect Stings and Bites
Outdoor workers are at risk of being stung by flying insects (bees, wasps, and hornets) and bitten by non-venemous and venomous spiders. While most stings cause only mild discomfort, some may result in severe allergic reactions that require immediate medical care and may cause death.
If an employee is stung by a stinging insect:
- Remove the stinger using gauze wiped over the area or by scraping a fingernail over the area.
- Never squeeze the stinger or use tweezers.
- Wash the site with soap and water.
- Apply ice to reduce swelling.
- Seek medical attention and report work-related injuries to Employee Health at University Health Services.
Sting and bite prevention:
- Avoid colognes, perfumes, perfumed soaps, and strongly-scented shampoos and deodorants.
- Wear clothing to cover as much of the body as possible.
- Remain calm and still if a single stinging insect is flying around. (Swatting may cause it to sting.
- If attacked by several stinging insects, run to get away.
- Workers with a history of severe allergic reactions to insect bites or stings should carry an epinephrine auto-injector, wear medical ID jewelry stating their allergy, inform coworkers, and show coworkers how to use the epi pen.
Bats and other Vertebrates
The College’s procedure for response to bites from domestic and wild animals is designed to provide timely medical follow-up and notification to the appropriate local health department officials so that the animal can be captured and tested for rabies if necessary. Animal bites can result in infections, including tetanus and rabies. Rabies occurs most often in wildlife, particularly raccoons, bats, skunks, groundhogs, and foxes.
How to Prepare:
- Do not feed or otherwise provide care to wild animals, including feral cats, which may be living on campus.
- Report all wild animals to Public Safety at 507-786-3666.
- There should be a screen in every dormitory room and stairwell window that can be opened. This prevents animals from entering buildings. If a screen is missing or not properly installed and the room will be occupied, call Facilities at 507-786-3280.
If you are bitten or scratched by a wild animal:
- Call Public Safety immediately at 507-786-3666.
- Clean the wound with soap and water.
- Seek medical attention, if necessary.
If you encounter a bat or believe you have sustained an exposure:
- Avoid direct contact with the bat and call Public Safety at507-786-3666.
- Do not try to capture or kill the bat.
- Do not release a bat found in a building until it has been confirmed through Public Safety that no exposure has occurred.
An encounter with a bat could include:
- Awakening to find a bat in the room.
- Witnessing a bat in the room with a previously unattended small child, mentally disabled, or intoxicated person.
- A bite (any penetration of the skin by teeth), or saliva or brain/spinal cord tissue introduced into mucous membranes (eyes, mouth), an open wound, abrasion or scratch in the skin from a bat.
Noxious Plants on St. Olaf Lands
- Wild Parsnip
- Minn DNR page (a brief intro and ID)
- Midwest Invasive Species Network (a more detailed description, including similar species)
- WARNING – Avoid skin contact with the toxic sap of the plant tissue by wearing gloves, long sleeves, and long pants. The juice of wild parsnip in contact with skin in the presence of sunlight can cause a rash and blistering and discoloration of the skin (phytophotodermatitis).
- Poison Ivy (p. 42)
- WARNING – Use protective clothing, rubber gloves and long sleeves, contact with the sap (urushiol) from broken plant parts can cause blistering (dermatitis), even during the winter months.
- WARNING – Smoke from burning poison ivy can deliver urushiol to airways and lungs. Do not compost as resprouting can occur and urushiol may persist in compost.
- Urushiol can stay on pets, tools, toys and other objects for long periods, and can be effectively transferred and cause irritation at a later date.
- Minnesota Noxious Weeds (includes native look-alikes for comparison)
Heat Cramps vs Heat Exhaustion vs Heat Stroke
Heat Cramps
Prolonged exercise in hot environments may lead to involuntary spasms or cramping in muscles. These are usually more intense and prolonged than a typical leg cramp. It is most common for muscles in your calves, arms, abdomen, or back to be affected but heat cramps may occur in any muscle group that is being utilized during your activity.
How to Respond:
- Rest and allow your body to cool down
- Hydrate and consider having some juice or a sports drink
- Gently massage and stretch the cramping muscles
- Avoid strenuous activity for several hours
- Contact your doctor if the cramps do not go away after an hour
Read more: https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-heat-cramps/basics/art-20056669
Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion is a result of your body becoming overheated due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures. This may be compounded by strenuous physical activity (such as fieldwork) and high air humidity.
Symptoms Include:
- Heavy sweating
- Rapid but weak pulse
- Skin that feels cold, pale, and clammy to the touch
- Muscle cramps
- Weakness or fatigue
- Headache and/or dizziness
How to Respond:
Move the person to a cool place (shade, air conditioned vehicle, nearby building, etc.) and take steps to cool them with wet clothes. Apply wet clothes or ice packs to areas of the body with major arteries such as the neck and armpits. This will speed the cooling of the core body temperature.
It is possible that the victim may lose consciousness. If they do, continue to monitor their breathing and heart rate closely and continue efforts to cool them. If symptoms persist for longer than 1 hour, conditions worsen, or the victim is throwing up, contact emergency medical services. Untreated, heat exhaustion may lead to heat stroke which is an immediate medical emergency.
Read more: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heat-exhaustion/symptoms-causes/syc-20373250
Heat Stroke
Heat stroke is the most severe heat illness and is specifically characterized by a body temperature that exceeds 104°F/40°C. If left untreated, heat stroke can damage critical organs such as the brain, heart, and kidneys, and in extreme cases may lead to death. Sudden exposure to hot weather, such as traveling to a hotter climate to conduct fieldwork, can increase the risk of heat stroke. Certain health conditions and medications may also increase your risk so always start slow and evaluate how you (and your team) are responding to the environment.
Symptoms Include:
- Hot, red skin. May be damp or dry to the touch
- Fast, strong pulse
- Confusion and/or slurred speech
- Headache and/or dizziness
- Nausea
How to Respond:
Call 9-1-1 immediately. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. After contacting emergency services, move the person to a cooler place (shade, air conditioned vehicle, nearby building, etc.) and take steps to cool them by applying damp clothes. If possible, place them in an ice-bath but be sure to monitor their condition closely and be prepared to support their body.
It is possible that the victim may lose consciousness. If they do, continue to monitor their breathing and heart rate closely and continue efforts to cool them.
If the person starts to vomit, place them in the recovery position to avoid a choking hazard. In the case of heat stroke, you do NOT want to give the person anything to drink because it may induce vomiting or the person may not be able to swallow properly.
Read more: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heat-stroke/symptoms-causes/syc-20353581
Heat Index vs Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT)
- The Heat Index gives only a quick “feel” of the outside environment.
- It based on only two factors: the air temperature and the relative humidity.
- It is measured in the shade, and combines air temperature and relative humidity to represent how hot the conditions feel at rest. The heat index does not account for the effects of wind, sunlight, radiant heat sources, or workload.
- The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) is the core tool used by occupational health professionals because it measures all four factors that contribute to heat stress in workers:
- Ambient air temperature.
- Humidity (high relative humidity makes it difficult for the body to cool itself through sweating).
- Radiant heat from sunlight or artificial heat sources such as furnaces.
- Air movement (in most situations, wind helps workers cool off).
While local weather reports (= heat index) can be useful, the readings from these stations may not reflect the conditions at the specific worksite (or playing field, etc.). Weather reports can be inaccurate if the specific work/field site has features that affect heat conditions. These features include:
- Indoor work — a weather report cannot gauge conditions inside a building.
- Direct sunlight — weather services measure temperature and Heat Index in the shade. Work in the sun may be considerably hotter. Direct sunlight can increase Heat Index by up to 13.5°F (7.5°C).
- Heat sources — weather reports cannot account for the heat generated by fires, hot tar or other materials, ovens, or other hot equipment, or heat-absorbing surfaces such as roads and roof surfaces.
- Wind blockage — some worksites may be hotter than surrounding areas because of structures that block air movement. Examples include trenches, and bowl-shaped athletic stadiums, and the leeward side of buildings (especially if in direct sunlight).
- Reflective material — water, metal, or other materials can reflect sunlight onto workers.
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Working in Hot Environments (Work/Rest Schedules)
Below are two options to determine how long a person can work in a hot environment, and how long the rest break should be.
Option 1: Use the NIOSH Heat Stress Work/Rest Schedule.
- It is based on local air temperature, with adjustments for direct sunlight and humidity.
- The NIOSH Schedule:
- It is not as accurate as using the WBGT (which takes measurements in the exact work/field site).
- You must incorporate the temperature adjustments on page 2 to account for sunshine and humidity levels.
Option 2: Use the WBGT Work/Rest Schedule and follow the guidelines in this table. The table is based on the following considerations:
- The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature.
- The type of work (light, moderate, heavy).
- If the person is acclimatized or not to the conditions.
- Water consumption per hour.
- The work/rest cycle per hour.
NIOSH Cold Stress Homepage
NIOSH Cold Stress Homepage: Information for workers who are exposed to extreme cold or work in cold environments.
Download/Bookmark these Three Weather Sites
- National Weather Service current hazardous weather conditions & forecasts for the St. Olaf campus lands
- Rice County SKYWARN: Facebook
- A real-time weather radar app (like WeatherBug)
Severe Weather Safety Tips
Thunderstorm Safety
- If thunder roars, go indoors!
- If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be in danger from lightning. The National Weather Service recommends staying inside for at least 30 minutes after the last thunder clap.
- If caught outside:
- Crouch close to the ground. If you are caught in an open area, crouch down in a ball-like position (feet and knees together) with your head tucked and hands over your ears so that you are down low with minimal contact with the ground.
- Do NOT lie down. Lightning causes electric currents along the top of the ground that can be deadly over 100 feet away. Crouching down is the best combination of being low and touching the ground as little as possible.
- Separate from each other.
If you are in a group during a thunderstorm, separate from each other. This will reduce the number of injuries if lightning strikes the ground.
- Proper Footwear
- Proper Clothing
- Sun-shielding Hat
- Sunscreen Lotion
- Water Bottle
- Gloves
- Safety Glasses
- Safety Sunglasses
- Chainsaws
- Powered Weed Trimmers
- Powered Brushcutters and Clearing Saws
- Powered Tiller