I work for a landscaping company where, by definition, our operatives spend most of their time in the outdoors.

We recently had an accident logged for a worker who was strimming knee high grass and disturbed some wasps (in November!).  He was stung multiple times and felt unwell.  No previous history of sensitivity to wasp stings.  A colleague gave him some anti-histamine tablets (his personal supply) and took him to hospital.  After 3 hours he had not been seen so decided to go home as he was feeling better.  No ill effects since then.

This incident stirred up a hornet's nest here (sorry) with lots of opinions, few of them informed.

First of all, is it an accident at all?  Popular opinion here is that it is just an 'occupational hazard' of working outside.  I say it is an accident because the injury arose as a direct result of the work being performed.  However, what if he had been stung by a single passing insect as he walked from the van to the area to be strimmed.  Would that change things? 

Secondly, what can we do to prevent it happening again?  We're recommending covering up arms and legs (not popular in the summer) and insect repellent.  Not sure how we stand as a company in providing this?  We currently supply sun cream and I see this as similar.

Finally, I have raised the issue of those out there who may have an allergy to insect stings and bites.  We do have an annual health screening questionnaire which all staff complete and I will be adding a question on this subject but I have also suggested we specifically ask all employees to let HR know if they have such an allergy and then we can try to come up with a safe system of work.  What this would be is difficult to say, apart from more extensive PPE in the form of bee-keepers gear.  Might be hard to do their job properly and safely, especially in summer.  I guess they should also be carrying their personal epi-pens which no doubt they would have if they are aware of the allergy.

I thought I'd check with the hive-mind (sorry again) to see if anyone has had first hand experience of this or some wise words of advice.

Starting at the beginning this is an accident because the operatives could have looked for the presence of a wasp nest before strimming - had it been spotted it would be unlikely they would have strimmed a nest.

Covering arms and legs is a good idea for multiple protection not only for wasp stings but also to protect against brushing past stinging nettles, brambles, thorns (fungal or microbial infections - sepsis/tetanus/sporotichosis) or giant hogweed along with other nasties such as ticks and UV exposure from the sun.

Sun cream or insect repellent I would not be involved on the supply of either for anyone other than myself - I know which active ingredients I can use and which bring me out in a rash.

As to health screening human bodies can become very sensitised after a single exposure or suddenly develop a reaction due to other triggers.

Knowing how annoying the search function here is to use, especially, if you are not used to it, I thought I'd try to be more helpful so I've dug out links to some previous discussions.  I make no comment on the quality of the discussion.

http://forum.iosh.co.uk/posts/t122327-Supplying-of-Insect-Repellant

http://forum.iosh.co.uk/posts/t115493-Insect-Bites-at-Work

http://forum.iosh.co.uk/posts/t106224-Insect-Bites

http://forum.iosh.co.uk/posts/t86964-Insect-bites---Accidents-or-not

Originally Posted by: Roundtuit

Starting at the beginning this is an accident because the operatives could have looked for the presence of a wasp nest before strimming - had it been spotted it would be unlikely they would have strimmed a nest.

Covering arms and legs is a good idea for multiple protection not only for wasp stings but also to protect against brushing past stinging nettles, brambles, thorns (fungal or microbial infections - sepsis/tetanus/sporotichosis) or giant hogweed along with other nasties such as ticks and UV exposure from the sun.

Sun cream or insect repellent I would not be involved on the supply of either for anyone other than myself - I know which active ingredients I can use and which bring me out in a rash.

As to health screening human bodies can become very sensitised after a single exposure or suddenly develop a reaction due to other triggers.

Thank you.  I did ask the operative whether there was a nest (because I wasn't sure that wasps nested in grass).  He said he didn't see one.  

We work on quite large areas so I am not sure searching the whole area before we start would be practical - although this was my first suggestion as well.

There seems to be a range of opinions on providing either suncream or insect repellent and I take your points completely.  Perhaps we should go down the employee buys and claims back.

Originally Posted by: A Kurdziel

Did some of this when I was  with the National Bee Unit some years ago. The question we always asked was “ is this one of our bees or or just a bee passing through” i.e  was this bee encounter a result of your work activity or was it just there.

Strimming is one of those jobs that is looks straightforward but especially if its long grass you can come across all sorts of hazards not just wasps nests. Ideally you have a look and see what you can find. Often with wasps nests you can hear them  before you see them. Also note that machinery noise can make bees and wasps extra  aggressive. I still remember a groundsman stirring  bees in several hives with his ride on mower. He ended up taking refuge in a pond!  

Thank you. 

Part of the problem with hearing the buzzing noise is that the operative is wearing ear defenders and using a petrol strimmer so hearing them is unlikely.  

What I meant by “Ideally you have a look and see what you can find”  is that before putting all of the PPE on you survey the area and see what you might come across in the long , be it wasp’s nests,  drug’s users discarded syringes or mating animals.

“so if it( the wasp’s next) is in long grass you are highly unlikely to see it”: which is true but that does not mean you should not try.  Just because we can’t guarantee something does not mean the exercise is pointless and it’s not just wasp nests you need to look out for. I get very nervous when someone says it’s just one of those things that you need to put up with when you do that sort of job.