Site-Specific Health and Safety Plan (HASP) - Laschools.org

LAUSD Proposed South Region High School #9 & Middle School #4
6-15
December 2006
Site Specific Health & Safety Plan (HASP)
inflammation of the brain). The risk of severe disease is higher for persons 50 years of age and
older. There is no evidence to suggest that West Nile virus can be spread from person to person
or from animal to person.
Human illness from West Nile virus is rare, even in areas where the virus has been reported. The
chance that any one person is going to become ill from a mosquito bite is low. You can further
reduce your chances of becoming ill by protecting yourself from mosquito bites. To avoid
mosquito bites, apply insect repellent containing DEET when you are outdoors. When possible,
wear long-sleeved clothes and long pants treated with repellents containing permethrin or DEET
since mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing. Do not apply repellents containing permethrin
directly to exposed skin. If you spray your clothing, there is no need to spray repellent containing
DEET on the skin under your clothing. Also, consider staying indoors at dawn, dusk, and in the
early evening, which are peak mosquito biting times.
The two poisonous spiders likely to be encountered are the Brown Recluse and the Black
Widow. They are usually found in buildings, utility box or monitoring well covers, or piles of
debris, rocks, wood, or leaves. These spiders are typically non-aggressive, and bite only when
disturbed. The Brown Recluse is up to one inch long with a violin or “fiddle” shaped mark on
the top of the head. It is generally brown, but more poisonous varieties may be pale-brown,
reddish-brown, orange, or gray. The Black Widow is a smaller, bulbous black spider with a red
or yellow hourglass-shaped mark on the underside. It weaves shapeless diffuse webs in
undisturbed areas.
Persons who are believed to have been bitten by a Brown Recluse or Black Widow spider should
be immediately transported to a hospital. The spider should be collected for confirmation of the
species.
Reactions to a Brown Recluse spider bite may be nothing, immediate, or delayed, depending
upon the sensitivity of the person bitten and the amount of venom injected. A small white blister
often occurs at the bite site surrounded by a swollen area. Within 24 to 36 hours, the victim may
experience fever, chills, restlessness, weakness, nausea, and joint pain. Within 24 hours, the bite
site can erupt into a “volcanic lesion”, which produces a hole in the flesh due to damaged
gangrenous tissue. The open wound may range in size from an adult thumbnail to the span of a
hand, with recovery taking months, and sometimes requiring plastic surgery and skin grafts.
Reactions to a Black Widow spider include intense pain at the site of the bite after approximately
15 to 60 minutes, followed by profuse sweating, rigid abdominal muscles, muscle spasms,
breathing difficulty, slurred speech, poor coordination, dilated pupils, and generalized swelling
of face and extremities. Death may occur due to complications, but usually not from the bite
itself.
6.3.3.2 Poisonous/Spiny Plants
The majority of skin reactions following contact with offending plants is allergic in nature and is
characterized by general symptoms of headache and fever, itching, redness and a rash.
A person experiencing symptoms of an allergic reaction to a plant should remove contaminated
clothing; wash all exposed areas thoroughly with soap and water. Apply calamine or other
poison ivy/oak/sumac lotion if the rash is mild. Seek medical advice if a severe reaction occurs,
or if there is a known history of previous sensitivity. Oak/ivy/sumac cleanser can be used after
site work or after potential exposure to reduce chances of irritation.
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