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Project No.4-419-0381 August 29,2019 Page No. 13 The best way to prevent HPS is to: • Avoid contact with rodents and to avoid inhaling dust that might be contaminated with rodent saliva,urine,or droppings. • Control mice inside.Keep the work area clean and store food and trash in containers with tight lids. Carefully dispose of dead rodents trapped indoors or brought inside by pets.Rodent-proof the work site by sealing cracks and clearing brush from around foundations. • Control mice outside. Eliminate possible nesting sites. Elevate hay, woodpiles, and garbage cans, and place them away from the house. Store animal food in closed containers. • Use safety precautions when cleaning indoor or outdoor areas that might be contaminated with rodent saliva, urine, or droppings. Do not stir up and breathe dust. Before cleaning, wet down potentially contaminated areas with a disinfectant(such as bleach or alcohol).While cleaning,wear rubber gloves and disinfect them after use.Dust masks that cover the nose and mouth can also help. • When participating in outside activities, stay clear of rodents and their burrows and nests. Keep campsites clean and food tightly sealed. Open up and air out outbuildings and rural or wilderness cabins before entering or cleaning. Remove garbage and trash before leaving. 3.3.8.2 Histoplasmosis Although this disease is usually associated with bird and bat droppings, it actually is caused by a fungus. You can only get it by inhaling dust from decayed droppings or contaminated soil.Anyplace where bird or bat droppings have collected is a likely source of the"histo"fungus.Trades most at risk are:bridge painters, demolition workers, heavy equipment operators, heating and air-conditioning system installers or service people,roofers,and trades people working on the restoration of historic or abandoned buildings. Many people are exposed to histo repeatedly, get infected, but never know it because they have no symptoms. You risk a more serious infection,however,if you are exposed to larger amounts of the fungus, or if your immune system is compromised for some reason. Histo can cause a lung infection that comes on quickly and causes fever, chills, muscle aches, cough, and shortness of breath. Most of the time these symptoms clear up on their own and are often mistaken for the flu. Some infections, though, may become chronic with similar,but less severe,symptoms that may not go away for several months.The most severe, and rarest, form of histo occurs when the fungus spreads to organs throughout the body. Such infections can cause permanent damage to the lungs and even death. If you experience flu-like symptoms as described above for more than a few days, it is important to seek medical attention, as effective treatment is available. Tell your health care provider you may have been exposed to fungus at your work. Otherwise he or she may not think of this possibility. Prevention is best. Controlling the risks workers in the trades face is not complicated but care should be taken. Large scale infections have occurred where a large amount of histo-contaminated soil or decayed droppings was disturbed. The main thing to avoid is creating dust that will put the fungus in the air where it can be inhaled. Try not to disturb soil rich in bird droppings. Often,however,our work requires that we remove such soils. Wet sweeping or vacuuming with a HEPA-filtered machine are the recommended ways to collect such soil. Soil should be placed in heavy-duty plastic bags or other secure containers for disposal. 3.3.8.3 Ticks There are six tick-borne pathogens that present a significant field hazard, and in some areas account for many serious field incidents. These procedures should be applied during any field activity—even in field areas that are predominantly paved,but with bordering vegetation. Ll SALEM engineering group. inc.