Specific Information for Workers (by Job Type)

On this page

• Healthcare workers
• Laboratory workers
• Mortuary and death care workers
• Airline and other travel industry personnel
• Border

Potential Bioterrorism Threats

Botulinum toxin may pose a bioweapons threat because of its extreme potency, lethality, and ease of production. A small amount of botulinum toxin seeded in the food or water supply can make many people very sick.

Background

Clostridium botulinum are common bacteria found in low-oxygen soil and aquatic sediments. In their natural environment, the bacteria can cause toxicity in foraging animals that ingest them.

Additional Resources

• Agricultural Operations Safety and Health Topics Page
• Logging eTool
• Sawmills eTool
• OSHA Fact Sheet:

Control and Prevention

Not all outdoor workers will be exposed to disease-carrying ticks. Ticks are limited to areas that can support their habitat (e.g., woods, long grass, leaf litter, areas where white-tailed deer roam). Before implementing any prevention strategies, become familiar with ticks that may be present in your area and the diseases they may carry. If an outdoor worksite could potentially harbor ticks, follow the recommendations below to help prevent tickborne illness.