Allergy Tests Can Help Outdoor Construction Workers Stay Safe From Unexpected Allergies

Posted on: 20 April 2020

Outdoor construction workers often have high levels of job satisfaction because they enjoy being outside and experiencing the world around them. Unfortunately, some of these individuals may find that they have a bee allergy during a job and get into a frantic emergency situation. As a result, allergy testing may be necessary for many in this scary scenario.

Bee Allergies May Develop Unexpectedly

People who work outside regularly, such as construction workers, may be at a higher risk of experiencing bee stings than others. And while most bee stings will produce mild symptoms in a person that should be fairly easy to manage with a little first aid, some people may suddenly discover that they have a bee allergy at the worst time — lying on their back on a job site with a swollen throat.

These situations can be scary, especially if a person has developed an allergy unexpectedly after having been stung in the past with no reaction. As a result, those who end up getting exposed to bees regularly may want to take allergy tests even if they have been stung in the past. Though this may seem unnecessary, a good test can also help to protect a person from a myriad of other unexpected allergy issues.

Ways Allergy Tests Help

Allergy tests take a small portion of a person's skin and expose it to a potential allergen. For example, an allergist would take a small amount of bee venom and place it on a controlled area on their arm. If the arm reacts by breaking out into hives, then the person likely has an allergy and may need to get specialized treatment, such as anti-allergens or EpiPens for when they work on a site near a beehive.

Just as importantly, allergy tests also help to spot other types of problems that may be affecting a person, such as an allergy to different species of bees. For example, a worker may not be allergic to a standard honey bee but may have a reaction to hornets. Therefore, they need to go through a whole litany of tests to spot any potential issues and treat them ASAP to minimize this risk.

And while they are getting tested, it may not be a bad idea for these workers to also get checked for food allergies. Doing so can ensure that they don't end up eating foods that they shouldn't and suffering adverse reactions as a result. 

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