Wet weather brings health hazards with it
Here are some of the causes of health problems for your eployees in a wet climate or one that has just come out of a draught.
Mold. If rainwater collected in the lower levels of your warehouse, factory, or office building, you have about a 100 percent chance of mold developing over the next few months. Besides giving off an undesirable odor, mold isn't healthy and can trigger asthma and other allergic reactions.
Chilling. Even when the thermometer reaches the 50s, 60s and 70s, a worker in wet clothing will experience body chilling that can lead to hypothermia. Falling body temperatures can be a life-threatening problem.
Mud. Water-soaked fields and unpaved roads can quickly submerge underlayers of slick and sticky mud. Vehicles slide off the road, people slip and slide walking on muddy paths, and cleaning off the mud before working indoors takes up valuable work time.
Germs. We want to believe that all of the sewage and garbage generated by a city is whisked away to a far-off site bfore any germs can spread. In reality, high water levels make it easy for contaminated stormwater to flow into ditches and water sources.
Allergies. The more green plants emerge from the nutrient-rich soil, the more allergent will circulate when these plants bloom. Expect more allergy attacks among your workers during the summer and fall after a rainy or snowy winter.
Critters. Mosquitoes love a damp climate. Not to mention bees, spiders, mice, fleas, tickes, and thousands of other tiny creatures that deposit poison or germs with every sting or bite.
If you're recovering from a long draught, be glad for that, but help your workers watch out for the health effects of wet weather.
Copyright © 2008 by Griffith Publishing 800 359-9503
Watch these pages grow!
More about...
Reliable resources for work-related health information
Blogs for a safe and healthy workplace
Free tools for your health and safety programs
Directory of health and safety info on the Web from JG and HealthWorks
How we can help and who we are
THINKING POINTS
Fungi are ubiquitous airborne allergens and are important causes of human diseases. Emedicine.
Excess moisture and standing water contribute to the growth of mold in buildings. CDC.
Every year, hypothermia kills about 600 Americans. NIH
Just one mosquito bite can transmit West Nile virus or other diseases. CDC.