Summer Safety Tips

Here you can find our best summer safety tips. Everywhere across the country, families are making the most of the summer season. Whether you’re hitting the beach for sun and surf or heading into the woods for a camping trip, you’re probably spending time outdoors.

While outdoor activities can be a great way to relax and spend time with loved ones, it’s important to be safe! From products like insect repellants and sunscreen to plants found in nature, there can be hazards associated with these activities that may be harmful if proper precautions are not taken.

Keep reading these summer safety tips to learn more about some common summer activities and how to prevent hazardous situations!

Is Bug Spray Poisonous?

Whether you’re headed on a hike, going camping, or just spending time in your backyard this summer, you more than likely are grabbing some bug spray before going outside. But did you know that ingesting bug spray can be poisonous?

The ingredients found in bug spray can be harmful if they are swallowed. Many kinds of bug spray contain a chemical called diethyl meta-toluamide, better known as DEET. DEET is a powerful bug spray and is a very effective way to ward off creepy crawling critters like mosquitoes and ticks.

It can be easier than you might think to prevent poisoning due to bug spray! When applying, be sure to use caution to make sure the spray does not go near the eyes or mouth. You should also store bug spray out of the reach of small children.

What Common Plants are Poisonous?

Lots of common summer activities often put us in close contact with plants we might be unfamiliar with. Even though most plants are harmless, some can be irritating to your skin and cause symptoms like rashes.

Generally speaking, there are a few different categories that harmful plants fall into: poisonous plants, allergenic plants, skin-irritant plants, and thorny plants.

There are a few effective ways to prevent harm from these types of plants. If you know you’re going into a situation where there might be hazardous plants, wear clothing that covers your arms and legs to prevent skin irritation and injury. Gloves are another great way to protect yourself if you are doing an activity like gardening. You should also always avoid eating wild plants you are unfamiliar with.

Can Wild Animals Be Poisonous?

Short answer — yes! Animals like venomous snakes and spiders are potentially harmful to humans.

When venturing into the great outdoors, it’s always a good idea to be alert to your surroundings. Luckily, most animals are more scared of humans than we are of them. There are many preventative measures we can take to prevent a harmful encounter.

Spiders can be a real concern when participating in an outdoor activity like camping. Shake out items like boots and gloves before putting them on, and store clothing and other items in sealed containers.

Bee and wasp stings are also considered a poisonous situation. The real potential danger with bee and wasp stings is an allergic reaction, so if someone around you gets stung you should be on the lookout for signs of anaphylaxis, such as difficulty breathing. Pain, itching, and swelling at the site of the sting are common, and the sting should be cleaned properly to prevent infection.

Snakes are another common wildlife hazard you might encounter outdoors. Your first instinct to prevent injury or poisoning should be to avoid interacting with a wild snake. If you do find yourself in a situation where a snake bite has occurred, it’s important to remain calm. Do not try to drain the bite, apply ice, or use a tourniquet. Instead, try to keep the area still, raise it to heart level if possible, and call Poison Help.

For questions or if you suspect you have been exposed to a harmful plant or animal contact your local poison center by calling 1-800-222-1222. If a victim is having trouble breathing or other life-threatening symptoms present themselves, call 911 immediately.