Workers in outdoor and natural environments frequently encounter wildlife, leading to potential injuries ranging from minor bites to life-threatening attacks.
These incidents pose significant occupational health risks, particularly in industries such as construction, agriculture, forestry, and wildlife management.
Wildlife-related workplace incidents are more common than many may realize. Findings of a research published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine revealed that between 2015 and 2021, OSHA recorded 788 severe injuries caused by animals. Most incidents (60.4%) involved mammals, followed by insects, arachnids, and mites (23.2% combined), and finally, reptiles (16.1%).
Employers and employees must understand these hazards and implement preventive measures in compliance with OSHA and CDC guidelines.
Here, we’ll examine high-risk occupations for wildlife-related injuries, common hazards and their health impacts, OSHA and CDC standards for prevention, and best practices for reducing workplace incidents.
Let’s break it down.
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High-Risk Occupations for Wildlife Encounters
Naturally, certain industries are more susceptible to wildlife-related injuries than others, due to their work environments.
Let’s take a quick look at a few industries and their most commonly associated wildlife-related injury risks & prevention measures.
1. Construction and Landscaping
Workers in these fields often disturb animal habitats, leading to encounters with venomous snakes, stinging insects like bees and wasps, and burrowing mammals, like groundhogs and foxes.
Although some risk is inherent in certain occupations, that doesn’t let employers off the hook. Under OSHA’s General Duty Clause, employers must conduct site-specific hazard assessments to mitigate these risks.
2. Agriculture and Farming
Let’s face it: farming is tough work. Intense manual labor, long hours, and scorching sun can make every day a challenge.
Add into the mix wildlife-related injuries, and it gets even tougher.
Farmworkers face hazards such as rabies exposure from raccoons, bats, or skunks, injuries from large animals, like wild boar, and even rodent-borne diseases, like hantavirus or leptospirosis.
Because of this, the CDC recommends workers receive training on zoonotic disease prevention and proper handling of animal encounters.
3. Forestry and Logging
Aside from the obvious dangers of falling trees and chainsaw injuries, forestry and logging also come with wildlife-related challenges.
For example, although rare, employees in these industries risk bear or cougar attacks in remote areas.
However, a far more common and pervasive threat come from much smaller creatures: ticks, venomous spiders, and insect bites.
Ticks are a well-known vector of disease, especially Lyme disease.
As a preventive measure, the CDC advises using permethrin-treated clothing to repel ticks and other insects.
4. Wildlife Management and Research
When you’re in the business of wildlife, there’s no escaping the respective risks. Biologists and conservationists face direct exposure to aggressive mammals (e.g., moose, bison), rabies-vector species like bats & foxes, and venomous reptiles, like snakes and lizards.
What’s key to note here, however, is an OSHA requirement to which some employers may need to adhere.
Under the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030), employers must provide rabies pre-exposure vaccinations for high-risk workers.
5. Utility and Pipeline Maintenance
Often operating in vast expanses of wilderness, these workers may encounter disturbed beehives or wasp nests, snakes in confined spaces, and even rodent infestations near equipment.
As a result, OSHA mandates confined space entry procedures (29 CFR 1910.146) to prevent unexpected wildlife interactions.
Common Wildlife-Related Injuries and Health Risks
1. Bites and Scratches
– Snakebites: Venomous species can cause severe tissue damage or death if untreated.
– Mammal bites: Rabies exposure is a critical concern.
OSHA Guidance: Employers must ensure immediate medical response protocols for bite injuries.
– See CDC/NIOSH Guidelines for Outdoor workers: Venomous snakes at work.
2. Stings and Allergic Reactions
– Bees, wasps, and fire ants can trigger anaphylaxis in sensitive individuals.
CDC Prevention: First aid kits should include epinephrine auto-injectors, commonly referred to as EpiPens.
– See CDC/NIOSH Guidelines for Outdoor workers: Insects and scorpions at work.
3. Large Animal Attacks
– Bears, moose, and wild boars may charge if threatened.
Best Practice: Workers should maintain a safe distance (25+ yards) and carry bear spray in high-risk areas.
4. Zoonotic Diseases
– Lyme disease (from ticks)
– Hantavirus (from rodent droppings)
– Rabies (from bites or scratches)
CDC Standard: Employers must provide protective gear (gloves, masks) and training on disease prevention.
5. Indirect Injuries
– Vehicle collisions with deer or elk
– Falls while evading aggressive animals
OSHA Regulation: Motor vehicle safety programs should address wildlife-related accident risks.
OSHA and CDC Guidelines for Prevention
1. Hazard Assessment and Training
– OSHA Requirement: Employers must train workers on recognizing wildlife hazards and emergency response.
– CDC Recommendation: Training should include zoonotic disease awareness.
2. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
– Snake-resistant boots and gloves
– Insect-repellent clothing
– Face shields for beekeepers
OSHA Standard: PPE must be provided at no cost to employees.
3. Worksite Controls
– Clear brush and debris to reduce snake habitats.
– Store food properly to avoid attracting bears or rodents.
OSHA Best Practice: Conduct daily safety briefings in high-risk areas.
4. Emergency Preparedness
– First aid for snakebites: Keep the limb immobilized and seek immediate medical help.
– Wildlife attack response: Train workers on de-escalation techniques.
CDC Resource: Wilderness first aid courses improve injury outcomes.
5. Medical Surveillance
– Administer rabies vaccines to high-risk workers (wildlife handlers) per CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
– Implement CDC-recommended protocols for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and tick-borne illness testing (Canine ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever).
– Deploy occupational health clinics for affected workers.
– Offer tetanus boosters and JE/rabies vaccines as needed (CDC Yellow Book).
– Use CDC-approved repellents (DEET/picaridin) and habitat modifications (rodent-proofing).
CDC and OSHA Guidelines: Employers should integrate wildlife risks into existing OSHA Injury and Illness Prevention Programs (IIPPs) and pair with CDC mobile health tools for real-time surveillance.
Employer Responsibilities and Legal Compliance
Under OSHA’s General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1)), employers must:
– Identify and mitigate wildlife hazards
– Provide appropriate training and PPE
– Establish emergency response plans
– See New York Department of Environmental Conservation’s Publication on Nuisance Wildlife Species: Controlling Problems with Wildlife.
– See OSHA’s Quick Card on Rodents, Snakes and Insects.
Key Takeaways
Wildlife-related workplace injuries are preventable with proper planning, training, and adherence to OSHA and CDC guidelines.
Employers must prioritize hazard assessments, while workers should remain vigilant in high-risk environments.
By following OSHA and CDC guidelines, implementing proper training, and equipping workers with appropriate PPE, employers can effectively mitigate wildlife-related workplace injuries and ensure safer outdoor work environments.
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