Don't Let Allergies Ruin Your Spring

MAKE-IT-SAFE MONDAY

With the cold weather that has been sweeping the nation, it might be hard to believe that spring and warmer days are just around the corner. However, for many people such as myself, spring comes with the challenge of seasonal allergies. According to WebMD, “About 40 million people in the U.S. have some time of ‘indoor/outdoor’ allergy.” Seasonal allergies in the spring can be a major hassle for those who have to work in outdoor career fields such as farming, landscaping, roofing, and many others. Allergies treated improperly can lead to safety issues on the job site, for the allergic person and for their co-workers. 

Although there is no foolproof ‘cure’ for seasonal allergies, there are definitely options to make them less miserable. Things such as pollen, mold, dust, or chemical toxins and their byproducts can trigger allergies.  Some helpful tips for reducing your allergy symptoms include, but are not limited to: 

• Discover your most effective allergy medicine. There are a few different over the counter options for seasonal allergies, and each medicine will perform differently. Experiment until you find the best option to reduce your symptoms.

• Start taking your medication before spring arrives. According to WebMD, the time to start taking your medicine is late February, not late March. The time-frame is different depending on the climate you live in, however, once things start thawing, it will help you to start your medication before the pollen starts to peak. 

• Change the air filter(s) in your company’s air system to reduce indoor allergies. This helps avoid having the air conditioning suck in pollen from outdoors and spread it throughout your business, because the filters aren't working well. 

• If you work outside, consider wearing a face mask, especially if the pollen count is high that day, or if the company is doing work inside that is producing chemical gasses.  Be aware that if you need to filter out chemical toxins, you will need a different face mask from the ones that filter out dust and pollen.  You can check the pollen count online, or on an allergy based phone apps. When wearing a face mask, it might seem uncomfortable at first, however, it will help reduce the amount of pollen and reduce the effect of the inflammatory response caused by allergies. 

If allergies have made you miserable in the past, use these methods to reduce the effects. If the symptoms are still unbearable, see an allergist for alternative solutions. No one wants to dread going to work on a beautiful day; be prepared to reduce your allergies this spring.

Thank you for your time and attention.  Let’s make it safe this Monday.

Christopher Feigal

Demand Generation Specialist, Lift’n Buddy, a Southworth Company