Snake Training
Inset to Safety Program for North Lansing Project
SAFETY ISSUES
There are five poisonous snakes that may occur in the project area (canebrake rattlesnake,
coral snake, cottonmouth, copperhead, pygmy rattlesnake), and about 25 non-poisonous
snake species.
Snakes should be left in place if they are not a risk to humans and are not at risk of being
injured or killed by construction equipment. Killing of all species of snakes should be
avoided during construction, because it is not always easy to know if the snake is
dangerous, and an injured or frightened snake is more dangerous.
Some general rules for prevention of injury from snakebite:
BE PREPARED
 Know the fastest route to the hospital from your work location.
 The Environmental Inspector should do a walk through of areas prior to
construction to identify and remove dangerous or protected snakes. In the heavily
forested areas of the North Lansing project area, this may not be practical due to
the dense vegetation.
 Wear heavy gloves if lifting debris.
 Wear boots at least 10 inches high.
AVOID CONTACT
 Minimize walking through uncleared areas.
 Move deliberately and carefully through any vegetation, or near rocks, logs, or
other debris.
 Watch where you put your hands and feet.
 Do not put your hands into burrows.
 Lift debris with tools rather than by hand.
 Look before stepping over logs.
 Look before sitting or lying down in vegetation.
ENCOUNTERING SNAKES
 Keep a safe distance, which is at least one snake-length away. Larger snakes
(more than 4 feet) can strike up to half their body length, while smaller snakes
(less than one foot) can strike their full body length.
 When a snake is encountered in or near the construction work space, an
assessment of potential danger should be made:
 Is the snake poisonous?
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If poisonous, is the snake in an area where it will interfere with work or pose
an immediate threat to workers?
 If poisonous and in area where it would be a danger to workers, can the snake
be directed away from or escape from the area being used by workers? If not,
can it be relocated further away to prevent possible snakebite?
Do not attempt to capture, tease or handle poisonous snakes, except as described
for removing snakes.
Do not handle or put your hands near poisonous snakes or severed heads after
they are killed, because they can bite up to an hour after being apparently dead.
If a worker is bitten by a snake:
 Do not panic. Most snakebites are not fatal.
 The first priority is to get the victim immediately to a hospital.
o The victim should minimize movement, ensure he is in a safe location, and
call for help.
o Do not delay transport for anything. With the hospital less than an hour
away, it is more important to get to the hospital than to try to give any type
of first aid.
 Before proceeding with any other activity at the site, returning crews or any
workers remaining behind will ensure the safety of the scene.
REMOVING SNAKES
Snakes that pose a risk to humans or are at risk themselves should be moved or
relocated. It is generally safer to use appropriate tools to move or contain a snake
than to kill it. Some general rules for removing snakes are:
 Keep a safe distance, which is usually about one snake-length away.
 If a protected snake is located in a work area and needs to be relocated, the
Environmental Inspector should be contacted for a decision on the appropriate
action.
 Use appropriate tools to handle the snakes. Professional snake handling tools
such as hooks are best, but any long-handled tool such as a broom or shovel or a
stick or branch can be used. Shovels can be used to scoop a snake.
o Do not approach a poisonous snake with a tool shorter than its body
length.
 Move slowly and deliberately.
 Don’t hurt the snake. Hurting the snake increases the risk of biting.
 Snakes can be swept or pushed into containers such as garbage cans or cardboard
boxes for temporary containment or transport. Temporary containers should be
taller than the snake is long. They should be placed as close to the snake as
possible to help direct the snake into them. Temporary containers may or may not
be secure enough to transport relocated snakes.
 Snakes that are relocated should not be moved more than 500 feet from where
they were found.
Snake Training
for North Lansing Project
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
The project area has two snake species that are listed as threatened by the State of Texas.
Killing or injury to these species should be avoided during construction. They are:
 Canebrake rattlesnake, a robust brown, tan or gray rattlesnake with dark brown or
black jagged-edged crossbands, typically 40 to 60 inches long (adults). They are
mild-tempered and not easily aroused, do not readily rattle, and usually lie quietly
or move slowly away from people. When aroused, they strike energetically. This
and the pygmy rattlesnake are the only rattlesnake species likely to occur, and
any rattlesnake over 20 inches long should be assumed to be this species.
 Northern scarlet snake, a moderately small (14 to 20 inches) white or tan snake
with black-bordered red saddles along its back. It typically is underground during
the day. This is a docile species that is non-poisonous and rarely bites.
Killing of all species of snakes should be avoided during construction, to avoid
inadvertently killing the protected species and because all snakes are valuable to the
ecosystem. In addition, injury to the snake should be avoided because an injured or
frightened snake is more dangerous.
The following is excerpted from http://www.austinreptileservice.net/stripes.html
CANEBRAKE RATTLESNAKE, Crotalus horridus (Venomous)
Canebrake Rattlesnakes also referred to as the Timber Rattlesnake are generally found in
the Central and Eastern piney woods area of Texas. This is a threatened species protected
in Texas. A few have been found in Bastrop County but are extremly rare. These snakes
average 3 to 4 feet in length. The snakes background color is usually a shade of gray, tan
or brown. On the snakes back are dark chevrons or V-shaped bands. An orange stripe of
varying shades and width runs from head to tail sometimes fading in the last third portion
of the snake. The tail is black or dark brown. They are a mild mannered snake with potent
venom.
Adam Dawson
Adam Dawson
Adam Dawson
Adam Dawson
The following is excerpted from
http://www.handsontheland.org/classroom/01/handson/Animals/Reptiles/northern_scarlet
_snake/northern_scarlet_snake.htm
Cemophora coccinea copei
Physical Description
Average size is 36-51 cm, record is 82.8 cm. The color is a whitish-gray dorsal color
with red blotches bordered by black. The head is red with a distinct light colored band
just behind the eyes. The belly pattern is uniformly whitish-gray. The scales are smooth,
and there are 19 dorsal scale rows at midbody, and there are 6 scales on the upper lip.
Habitat
It is found throughout the southeastern United States from eastern Texas to New Jersey.
It is commonly found in pine flatwoods, dry prairies, hardwood hammocks, and sandhills.
Behaviours
It lives mostly underground, in or under logs, or burrowed under tree bark. It is active at
night and sometimes is seen crossing roads after dark. It feeds on small snakes, lizards,
rodents, and reptile eggs. Breeding occurs from March through June, and it typically lays
3-8 eggs between May and August. Its main predators are other snakes, birds, and
mammals.