Tick Prevention – An Important Safety Measure When Working Outdoors

by | Apr 25, 2025 | Farm Safety, General Agriculture, Insects, Pest Management, Wildlife

As the weather warms up, the winter respite from ticks and the concerns they can bring comes to a close. Ticks can be particularly troublesome and prevalent in early spring, and it is not just our pets and livestock we should be concerned about. Tick bite prevention is an important safety concern for people who work outdoors and in tick prone areas like agricultural and forestry workers. Tick bites can be much more than just itchy and unpleasant. Tick borne illnesses can have significant health impacts, which makes bite prevention an essential safety measure when working or engaging in outdoor recreation.

Lone Star tick in detail. Photo Credit UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones

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Tick borne diseases are not as common in the Southeast as other regions but remain a significant issue especially to outdoor and agriculture workers, and those who are regularly outdoors for recreation. The best action is prevention through methods like proper clothing and repellents. If bitten by a tick it is important to be aware of tick born disease symptoms, so that you can receive prompt care if necessary. While not extremely common in our area, diseases like Lyme disease, Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness, and Alpha-Gal syndrome do occur and can be severe. All are transmitted through tick bites, which is why prevention is so important. First and foremost, plan ahead when you know you will be working outside and in tick prone areas. Before going about work or activity think about what prevention measures are available and how you will implement them.

Ticks are most prevalent in brushy wooded areas, and areas of tall grass and vegetation. Overgrown fence-rows can be an area that is especially prone to ticks.  Ticks can occur anywhere though, not just in the obvious areas, so it is best to take precautions even when working in fields or well-maintained pastures with short grass. When your work or outdoor activity will take you in a tick prone area plan to implement prevention measures.  Dressing appropriately is the best and first line of defense. Wearing appropriate clothing like long pants, long-sleeve shirts, a belt, and good boots with 6-8′ uppers is the first step, and generally aligns with proper attire for most work in agricultural and outdoor settings. Tucking your pants cuff into you boot can help but wearing leg gaiters that cover your upper boot, and cuff is as good or better. You can purchase regular gaiters or specific tick and chigger prevention gaiters from outdoor retailers and professional forestry supply stores. Specialized tick and chigger gaiters are lightweight with fine mesh fabric and elastic fit around cuffs and prevent ticks from entering.  Snake proof gaiters provide a prevention against snake bite and can also aid in tick prevention, by covering the pants cuff and top of your boots. Dressing to cover up exposed skin and close off areas that ticks can crawl inside clothing is the goal of dressing to prevent tick encounters. While it may seem more comfortable in the Florida heat, dressing in shorts and minimal clothing is asking for tick exposure, especially in active times in tick prone areas. Another good tip is to change clothes when coming in from the field and put your field clothes in a hamper or other laundry container to be washed in the next round. Ticks may still be on your clothing, so the quicker you change and isolate your field clothes, the less like you are to have a tick bite and embed.

Proper repellant use is the next line of defense. The first step is to ensure you are using an effective EPA approved repellent that works for ticks. DEET is the most widely known but there are others which have become available through the years. It is important to check that the repellent is effective against ticks and read the labels to ensure proper application and use. Permethrin based repellents are highly effective but can only be used on clothes as a pretreatment. Permethrin works as both a repellent and mild insecticide. It is effective for a long period on treated clothing up to two weeks or more for some formulations. If you have a standard set of work or outdoor clothes that you usually wear, pretreating them with permethrin-based repellants is an excellent option, but be sure to follow the product instructions. Other repellants such as DEET and picaridin are very effective and can be applied directly to your skin or clothing you are wearing. Usually, products effective for ticks come with higher concentrations (Around 20-40% minimum) of repellent, as lower concentrations are not as effective against ticks. It is important to know the product you are using and how to apply it, for example some products containing 100% DEET state to avoid skin use and contact with sensitive areas. These high concentration products are effective but must be used carefully. Similarly, you need to make sure the product you are using is labeled effective against ticks. Most skin applied repellents are required to be labeled with the EPA. You can access good repellent selection guide and get information on specific repellents through this EPA website link Find the Repellent that is Right for You.  

If you are bitten by a tick, despite your best prevention efforts, proper tick removal and bite care is very important. Removing the tick properly and ensuring the mouthparts are removed is essential once bitten. Very fine point tweezers, tick nippers, or special removal cards and tools are best. Use of caustic chemicals or heat to cause to tick to back out or drop off is not recommended. This causes a tick to often regurgitate into the bite and increase the risk of infection. Using tweezers or a tick tool to grasp the head and pull the tick out is the safest method. Take care not to squeeze the tick’s body when removing an embedded tick, for similar reasons that heat is not recommended. Using your fingers alone to remove a tick is not recommended, as it usually crushes the tick and/or results in incomplete removal. Once removed, cleaning the bite with an antiseptic or soap and water is best. You can also apply some anti-biotic or anti-itch cream to the bit to help with healing along with the irritation. Monitoring the bite and your health afterwards is important.  If you notice any rashes or symptoms that may indicate an illness, prompt medical attention is advised. If you were bitten while working as an employee, you should also report the bite to your employer and follow their procedures for documenting and reporting for workers compensation. Tick bites and exposure are a listed work hazard for outdoor workers, so most employers have policies in place for prevention and mitigation. You can find more information through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on tick borne illness and prevention at the following link Tickborne Disease – Overview.  

In Florida, tick borne diseases are not especially common. For this reason, people are often unaware of the severity some of these diseases. Lyme disease is transmitted by the black legged or deer tick and is probably the most widely known and discussed tick borne disease. Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness (STARI) is closely related to Lyme disease but transmitted by the Lonestar tick and is more common in the south. Both are bacterial infections and can cause severe illness, especially if untreated. A rash at the bite is a common symptom but it can sometimes be absent. Other symptoms include headaches, fever, and muscle aches which often occur within two weeks of a bite. As these are common symptoms to other illnesses, they can go unnoticed. When Lyme disease or STARI go undiagnosed and untreated for extended periods they can have long term and chronic impacts. Early detection and treatment are always best, so it is best to be aware of the symptoms and discuss this with your physician, if you have been bitten by a tick recently and begin to experience any related symptoms. Alpha-gal syndrome, also called red meat allergy or tick bite meat allergy is another medically important condition that can develop from a tick bite. It is an allergic reaction that can develop after a bite from a Lonestar tick, which causes an allergy to red meat. This allergic reaction can be severe. If you begin to have related symptoms after a tick bite, discuss this with your medical provider. Many medical providers may not suspect tick related illnesses unless you share that you work outdoors or have had tick bites recently. If you notice any unusual symptoms, rashes, or allergic reaction after a tick bite seek medical assistance. Tick borne illnesses can be severe and have lasting impacts on your health, so early diagnosis and treatment is key.  You can find more information on tick borne illness at the Florida Department of Health through the following link:  Tick and Insect Borne Diseases. Being informed on tick borne illnesses is a good safety practice, and it can aid in knowing when to seek medical attention and how to discuss any concerns you have with a medical provider.

Ticks are prevalent and active much of the year in Florida, and tick bite prevention is an important and often overlooked safety concern. Working in outdoor and agricultural settings has many hazards, but things like ticks are often overlooked from a safety and wellness standpoint.  As the saying goes “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Plan ahead, dress properly, and use repellents to prevent tick bites. If you are bitten, proper tick removal is key along with monitoring your health condition following the bite. Be aware of tick-borne illness and the symptoms that may occur and seek prompt medical attention and care if you suspect you may have a tick bite related illness. Ticks can be more than a simple nuisance, so be proactive in your prevention and awareness to ensure your personal safety and wellbeing.

Ian Stone
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