Insect Stings and Anaphylaxis on Site

Why it matters

Wasps nest in the exact places we work: eaves, attics, meter boxes, irrigation valve boxes, and brush piles. Most stings are pain and swelling; for allergic workers, one sting can close a throat in minutes, faster than most ambulances arrive. The difference between a bad day and a fatality is knowing who is allergic, where the epinephrine is, and reacting to the first signs. Today: nests, swarms, and the allergy plan.

Hazards

• ⚠ Disturbed nests in eaves, soffits, boxes, and equipment left idle
• ⚠ Swarm attacks when a nest is hit with a tool or mower
• ⚠ Anaphylaxis: throat swelling, hives, dizziness within minutes
• ⚠ Falls from ladders and roofs while swatting or fleeing
• ⚠ Fire ant mounds around slabs and landscaping in southern states
• ⚠ Nobody knowing a coworker was allergic until it happens

Controls and safe practices

• ✓ Scan before work: eaves, boxes, voids, and equipment that sat idle get a look before hands go in.
• ✓ Found a nest: mark it, back off, and treat or remove it before working there, off-hours when possible.
• ✓ Allergic crew members tell the foreman and carry their epinephrine ON them, not in a truck across the site.
• ✓ Crew knows where auto-injectors are and how to use one: outer thigh, hold, then 911 even if they improve.
• ✓ If attacked: cover face, walk fast away in a straight line, do not swat or jump off the roof.
• ✓ On ladders and roofs, retreat deliberately; the sting hurts less than the fall.
• ✓ Any breathing trouble, face swelling, or full-body hives after a sting: epinephrine and 911, immediately.

Crew discussion questions

1. Who on this crew is allergic, and where is their epinephrine right now?
2. Where have we seen nests on this site?
3. What is the retreat plan from the roof if a nest opens up?
4. Does everyone know how to use an auto-injector?

Applicable OSHA standards

29 CFR 1926.50

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