Protecting Outdoor Workers

As summer proceeds, many Ontarians are welcoming warmer days outdoors in the wake of record-breaking lows this past winter.

But working outdoors presents many hazards. Working where it is hot puts stress on your body’s cooling system. When heat is combined with other stresses such as hard physical work, loss of fluids, fatigue, or some pre-existing medical conditions, it may lead to heat-related illness, disability or even death. Learn how to protect workers from heat stress.

Workers who work in certain outdoor areas are also at risk for tick bites and developing Lyme disease, and should protect themselves. Blacklegged ticks that can transmit Lyme disease are in Ontario, and in more areas than previously thought.

The warmer temperatures also bring out the mosquitoes. The chance of being bitten by a mosquito infected with the West Nile Virus is very small. However, as a safety precaution it is still important to minimize exposure to mosquitoes in areas where the West Nile Virushas been documented.

While outdoors, workers can also touch hazardous plants, which is some cases can lead to serious skin reactions and permanent scarring. Learn about common hazardous plants in Ontario.

The summer is often a time for work and play for many Ontario workers and their families. But learn to take the necessary precautions to ensure that hazards found outdoors are properly addressed.

Source:  http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/pubs/hsawtoday/issue11.php#top

Vocabulary:

Outdoor: Ao ar livre

Ontarians: residentes em Ontário - Canadá

Welcoming: acolhendo

cooling: resfriamento

physical work: trabalho físico

heat related illness: doenças relacionadas ao calor

disability: incapacidade

tick bites: picadas de carrapatos

Lyme: Doença de Lyme ( infecção transmitida por carrapatos)

bring out: trazer para fora

bitten: sendo

West Nile Virus: Vírus do Nilo Ocidental

scarring : cicatrizes

ensure: garantir

properly: corretamente