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Prevent Poison Ivy Injuries To Your Tree Service Crew With These Steps

3 October 2018 by Louise Boyd

A tree service professional can sustain a variety of serious injuries on the job. Working with sharp saws and often being several yards above the ground have their share of dangers, but there are other risks that are present. Because they're often working in rural and wooded areas, it's possible for tree service crew members to get exposed to poison ivy. While this plant might not seem as serious as some of the other risks that your employees face, it can cause severe discomfort and sideline an employee for days or weeks — potentially resulting in a workers' compensation claim. To reduce the risk of poison ivy-related problems, here are some steps that you can take.

Assess The Scene In Advance

It may be worthwhile for you or a manager at your tree service to visit the scene to assess the risk of poison ivy. This trip doesn't have to be exclusively for this purpose; it may also be necessary for a senior official to visit the scene to give the customer a price quote for the work. When you or your designate checks out the working area, you'll be able to look for the telltale signs of poison ivy — and then warn your tree service crew, in writing, of this risk.

Provide The Proper Education

The presence of poison ivy doesn't mean that your crew members cannot work — although you may wish to give someone who has especially bad reactions to this plant a different assignment. In general, you should provide your crew with a solid education on avoiding problems with poison ivy. Take the time to ensure that everyone can identify it so that he or she doesn't unnecessarily make contact with the plant. Talk about the importance of washing any skin that may have been exposed with hot, soapy water as soon as possible after exposure.

Offer Safety Gear

You should also ensure that your tree service crew has the right safety gear for working in an area that has poison ivy. Your employees should wear clothing that limits the exposure of their skin. This includes tall boots, long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and gloves. If the poison ivy in the work area is especially bad, you may even want to invest in hazardous materials suits that your crew can wear and then carefully discard afterward. In the event of a crew member getting bad poison ivy and attempting to take legal action, he or she likely won't have a case because of the steps that you've taken.

For help with workers' compensation claims, get in touch with a firm like Bennett  Law Firm PC.

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