Infectious Diseases at Work
Crews share trucks, trailers, tools and portable toilets, which makes it easy for illnesses to spread. Maintenance workers can also be exposed to germs in water systems, sewage and bird or rodent droppings.
- Construction
- General Industry
- New York
Common concerns
- Flu, COVID-19 and colds, which spread person to person
- Stomach illnesses from poor handwashing and sanitation
- Legionella (Legionnaires’ disease) in cooling towers, hot water systems and stagnant plumbing
- Sewage exposure: hepatitis A, E. coli and other germs
- Bird, bat and rodent droppings. See Biological Hazards.
Prevention
- Wash hands with soap and water before eating and after using the restroom; use hand sanitizer when water isn’t available. See Sanitation.
- Stay home when you’re sick if you can, and cover coughs and sneezes.
- Don’t share water bottles, cups or cigarettes.
- Ventilate shared trailers and vehicles.
- Ask your doctor about recommended vaccines, such as flu, tetanus, and hepatitis vaccines for sewage work.
- Wear respiratory protection when working on cooling towers or water systems that may contain Legionella.
State rules: some states require infectious disease plans, such as New York’s HERO Act. See New York.
Standards & references
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