Tick prevention for people who work outside.

Exposure is part of the job assessment

NIOSH identifies higher exposure risk at worksites with woods, brush, high grass, or leaf litter. Construction, landscaping, utility, oil-field, forestry, and other outdoor work may involve these settings. Work near vegetation or host animals can also create exposure around buildings. Employers should provide training, appropriate prevention supplies, and a clear way to report illness or bites.

Before the shift

• Review the actual worksite, including where vehicles and equipment will be parked.
• Keep a removal kit and locally approved repellent accessible.
• Plan clothing appropriate to both tick exposure and other job hazards.
• Identify where staff can privately check themselves afterward.
• Explain how to record a workplace exposure and whom to tell.

Fit protection around the rest of the safety plan

Do not compromise required high-visibility clothing, heat precautions, or other protective equipment to follow generic outdoor advice. Choose repellent and garment options compatible with the task, local label, and employer procedures. U.S. clothing-treatment advice must not be copied into a Canadian program without checking Canadian approval.

Make reporting useful

An exposure note should include the site, date, activity, and where a tick was found. Keep reporting factual; an attached tick does not confirm an infection. If a worker becomes unwell after possible exposure, encourage prompt medical assessment and make the worksite information available to them.

Close the loop

At the next crew briefing, check whether the supplies were accessible, labels readable, and return-home routine realistic. Repeated tick encounters may justify changing the route or work area where feasible. A poster in the shop is useful only when the daily workflow supports the same actions.