Did you know that ticks can transmit germs that cause diseases such as Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis and Powassan disease? We recommend that people working in outdoor worksites take steps to minimize their risk of tick bites and related diseases.
The following tips are particularly important if you are working in wooded areas or near shrubs, dead leaves, stacked wood and tall grass:
Wear appropriate clothing
- Choose light colours, long-sleeve shirts and long pants.
- Tuck your pants into your socks to prevent ticks from climbing into them.
- If you can, wear work clothes that have been treated with permethrin.
Use insect repellent
- Apply a DEET or icaridin-based insect repellent to your clothing and any exposed skin.
After work
- Take a shower or bath and inspect your body for ticks (check your feet, armpits, elbows, hair, waist and groin, the back of your knees and behind your ears).
- Wash using hot water and place your dry work clothes in the dryer at high temperature for at least 10 minutes to kill any remaining ticks.
Read the following article for more information and to learn how to safely remove a tick from your skin:
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