Bites, stings and allergic reaction in tree work: what the regulators say
What SafeWork NSW, WorkSafeBC and NIOSH say about bees, wasps, ants, spiders, snakes and allergic reaction for tree workers, with the places that publish nothing marked as such.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 9, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the named codes, regulators and makers say. It is not training and does not teach the work. This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. It sets out what SafeWork NSW, WorkSafeBC and the United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) say about bites, stings and allergic reaction for people who climb and work in trees. It is not medical advice and gives no first aid steps: those are on the sources named. All pages were read on October 9, 2026. Disease from ticks and mosquitoes is covered in the guide to health hazards, and the courses that teach the work are in the guides on chainsaw tickets and certifications by country.
New South Wales, Australia
The SafeWork NSW Tree works code of practice lists animal or insect activity in its table of factors to look at when a tree is assessed, under the heading of conditions that could create a skin contact risk. It names spiders and insects such as bull ants, ticks, wasps and bees, and says one wasp or bee sting can kill a person who has an allergic reaction. It says some workers may be particularly susceptible, and that a climber who disturbs a colony or nest may be unable to move away at once if it attacks. The same row names venomous animals such as snakes and spiders, allergies from contact with plants (it gives grevillea and plane trees as examples), wildlife such as possums, koalas and birds that may need to be removed, and river red gum disease, which it says is caused by a fungus and can cause human disease.
Elsewhere the code lists insect colonies and nests among the points to consider when a tree crown leans, and says the crane access method, where a crane lifts the worker into the tree, can increase the risk of biting or stinging hazards, including ants, bees, wasps and snakes. It adds that other ways into the tree are considered first for that reason. The wider rules on tree risk assessment sit in the guide to dead and hazard trees.
British Columbia, Canada
The WorkSafeBC page on wildlife and insects says employers are responsible for knowing the wildlife and insect risks at the workplace and managing them. For biting and stinging insects and arachnids it names mosquitoes, flies, spiders, ticks, bees, wasps and hornets, and says most stings and bites are minor injuries with temporary pain, redness, swelling or itchiness. It says some can cause allergic or toxic reactions, serum sickness or anaphylaxis, diseases such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease, or infection if scratched.
The page lists prevention points for workers: attention to places where insects may be present (it names woods, orchards, standing water and old buildings), covering clothing in a single neutral colour, avoiding scented products and sudden movements, repellent containing 20 to 30 percent DEET, and not letting food waste build up. It says workers check their skin after time in insect-prone areas, tell the first aid attendant about bites and stings even if minor, and carry the appropriate medication if allergic to bee or wasp stings. It has separate entries for European fire ants, bed bugs and bears. The WorkSafeBC page does not mention tree work in particular.
United States
The NIOSH page insects and scorpions at work, last reviewed September 28, 2026, names bees, wasps, hornets, fire ants and scorpions. It describes anaphylaxis as a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that needs immediate emergency care. It says employers train workers on exposure risks, on ways to prevent and protect against stings and bites, and on first aid after one, and that workers with a history of severe reactions carry an epinephrine auto-injector and wear a medical ID. It says bees, wasps and hornets are most abundant in warmer months, fire ants are mainly in the Southeast, and scorpions are found in the Southern and Southwestern United States. It also lists first aid steps for each, which this page does not repeat.
The OSHA tree care hazards and solutions page lists one state fatality report on stings under its group named other, set out on its own page in the guide to report 17CA003 and in the guide to NIOSH FACE reports by hazard group.
At a glance
| Place | Source | What it says about stings and allergy |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Tree works code | A single wasp or bee sting can be fatal in an allergic reaction; a climber disturbing a nest may not escape at once |
| British Columbia | WorkSafeBC page | Employers know and manage insect risks; most stings are minor, some cause anaphylaxis |
| United States | NIOSH page | Training on risk, prevention and first aid; auto-injector and medical ID for severe reaction history |
| Great Britain | HSE tree work and biological agents pages | No official page found on October 9, 2026: the HSE tree work safety topics index and the HSE biological safety index were opened and neither has a page on wasps, bees or nests |
| New Zealand | Arboriculture approved code | Not published: the code read on October 9, 2026 does not mention stings or bites |
Credit: the SafeWork NSW text is licensed CC BY 4.0. Aerial rescue and the emergency plan are covered in the guides to aerial rescue and emergency action plans.