Allergic Reaction to bee
stings
What is an allergic reaction?
► An
allergic reaction occurs when we eat certain
types of food or take medications that our body
does not recognise and fights against them. An
allergic reaction can also occur if we are bitten by
some insects, especially bees.
► E.g. Some people have mild reaction and have
swollen lips or face after eating food such as
crabs. Others can have a severe reaction resulting
in difficulty breathing and collapsing.
What are the signs & symptoms?
► In
a mild reaction you can experience
itchiness all over the skin, swollen lips,
swollen tongue or even the whole face.
► In a severe reaction you can experience
dizziness, difficulty breathing, vomiting and
unconsciousness.
How can I know if I am allergic to
something or not?
► There
are specialised test that can be done
to find out if anyone is allergic to something
or not.
► We can not do those tests on site at present
because they must be done in a hospital
setting by specialist medical officers.
► Most people know if they are allergic or not
to food, drugs, bee stings etc by
experience.
Important to remember!
► Because
we cannot test for allergic
reactions on site and most people may not
know if they are allergic to something or
not, working in remote settings like the
Frieda River Project, can be very dangerous.
Risk assessment for allergic reaction
during field work
► Stings
from bees, wasps and hornets pose
the greatest risk during field work.
► However, mosquito bites, leeches, sand flies
and other insects can also cause an allergic
reaction.
► A FULL RISK ASSESSMENT MUST BE DONE
BEFORE ANY FIELD WORK.
Reducing risk during field work
► Appropriate
PPEs must be worn at all times.
► The buddy system must be observed at all times.
► Be familiar with the protocol for initiating the
emergency response procedure and identify the
nearest helipad.
► Carry a radio at all times.
► Consult site doctor and carry a medical kit
containing the following when doing field work:
 Insect repellent sprays/ointments.
 Phernegan tablets.
 Epipen injection or adrenaline injection.
Initiating the emergency response
procedure
► Use
channel XX and call: “Emergency,
Emergency, Emergency”.
► When the logistic advisor responds, give the
following details:




Your name
Your location
Describe the situation
Type of help required
First aid treatment for an allergic
reaction to bee sting
► Remove
the offending agent. In most cases
the allergic reaction occurs 10-20 minutes
after the bee sting so it won’t be possible.
► If you are allergic to bee sting, tell your coworker that you have been stung by a bee
and that you are allergic to bee stings.
► Move to the nearest helipad.
Field medical treatment for an
allergic reaction to bee sting
► If
you know you are allergic to bee stings
and you are carrying Phernergan tablets,
take one tablet as soon as you are stung by
the bee. DO NOT TAKE MORE THAN ONE
TABLET WITHOUT CONSULTING THE
SITE DOCTOR!
► Call the site doctor on channel 3 and inform
him/her of what happened.
► Further course of action will be advised by
the site doctor.
When to use Epipen and adrenaline
in the field
►
►
►
Epipen and adrenaline injection must be used if the allergic
reaction is severe (i.e. dizziness, difficulty breathing,
unconsciousness) or on advice from the site doctor over
the radio.
Wait 10 minutes after the bee sting and if symptoms begin
to appear e.g. feelings of dizziness and nausea then
injection medication can be used.
If you know you are allergic to bee stings then:
 You can inject yourself with the Epipen or adrenaline injection if
you are confident in injecting yourself.
 If you are not confident, ask a co-worker who is confident to give
you the medication.
 Inject the medicine into the front of the thigh muscle.
Conclusion
► Allergic
reactions can be mild or severe.
► Mild reactions are self-limiting and not lifethreatening.
► Severe reactions are dangerous as it can be
fatal.
► Being prepared in the field will reduce the
risk of fatality.