Giant Hogweed- a plant from the pit of hell!

FiachDubh

I need to vent about this disgusting Indian invasive species.
I have a summer job
And its awful
I have to strim ditches and dykes... pure torture.
I noticed two weeks ago red marks on my hand and neck... no biggy i said.
These quickly developed into humongous, disfiguring, painful blisters!
I went to the doctor "giant hogweed" said he with a grave face.

This plant is common in the irish countryside. Its sap when it gets onto your skin, and exposed to sunlight, eats away at a few layers of your skin, The end result is a pink/ purple blemish. this can take up to three years (if you're of a black pigmentation) to fade away! It can take pale skin 6 months with steroid cream!

Anyone have any tips for handling it? I can't say "No" to my employer. help... for the love of my pretty face.

gctest50

Bad news - the burns can just re-appear again for up to about 6 years !

http://www.kilkennycoco.ie/eng/Services/Heritage/Giant_Hog_Weed_Eradication_Programme.html

Sulla Felix

Tell your boss you want/need appropriate protection. Not to be melodramatic but you're literally dealing with a toxic substance in the sap. At the very least I'd be looking for a full mask for the face, not just goggles, and a decent set of gloves, waterproof, not just gardening gloves, because this time of year the plants are full of fluid.

FiachDubh

gctest50 wrote: »

Bad news - the burns can just re-appear again for up to about 6 years !

http://www.kilkennycoco.ie/eng/Services/Heritage/Giant_Hog_Weed_Eradication_Programme.html

Oh for the love of god! You'd think people would be more aware of this roadside assassin. The HSE or whoever should have an information campaign.

Alun

As it happens, I went to the doctors just yesterday with a recurring rash on my forearms that appears to be triggered by exposure to sunlight and he came to the conclusion that it was probably caused by exposure to the sap of plants / weeds of some sort, possibly on a walking holiday to Spain last Summer. Nowhere near as serious as Giant Hogweed fortunately, but be aware that some other plants can cause similar problems as well, apparently even grass sap from strimming if you're allergic to it.

He mentioned a recent case here in Bray where some kids were brought in to the surgery as they'd made blowpipes out of the hollow stems, and their lips and mouth had become so swollen and covered with blisters they had to be intubated to stop them suffocating, and after a spell in hospital had to cover their faces and lips with sunblock every time they went outside even in winter for several years afterwards.

It's probably too late now, but you really should demand full protection equipment from your employer. This isn't just a 'bit of a rash', it can potentially last for several years, and in some cases even result in hospitalisation if its serious.

CJhaughey

Under Health and Safety legislation your employer is obligated by law to provide PPE that is suitable for the job.
In your case this is protection from exposure to a dangerous plant.
I suggest you contact the Health and Safety Authority and find out what they recommend.
http://hsa.ie/eng/

swifts need our help!

I don't think you should be strimming ditches and dykes at this time of year. What about small ground nesting birds such as warblers

laoch na mona

when my dad first told me about hogweed i thought he was messing ( i was very young). he used to work at the same thing as you and they straight out refused to touch the stuff.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

swifts need our help! wrote: »

I don't think you should be strimming ditches and dykes at this time of year. What about small ground nesting birds such as warblers

Not recommended certainly but not illegal. Not too many ground nesting birds use road verges and the cutting, particularly on narrow single lane rural roads,is often essential for safety.

Hondo75

Remove the heads and bag, if not seeds will spread and you will be there again in a few weeks

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

If you have been cutting Giant Hogweed make sure you wash the soles of your foot ware because you can carry seeds home.

Amalgam

Wasn't it the case years ago that you could phone the Corporation (Dublin) about Hogweed, specifically. It was quite rare at that time. I remember someone saying cutbacks have led to a resurgence.

FiachDubh

I was thinking about this today as i was doing battle with the weed of hogs. Is there any 'society for the eradication of invasive species in Ireland' or organisation that goes along that line? Because if there isn't, I have found my calling...

Alun

FiachDubh wrote: »

I was thinking about this today as i was doing battle with the weed of hogs. Is there any 'society for the eradication of invasive species in Ireland' or organisation that goes along that line? Because if there isn't, I have found my calling...

Close ...

http://invasivespeciesireland.com/

hfallada

My friends got scars from it as it was on the side of the tolka. 4 years on they are scarred

FiachDubh

Alun wrote: »

Close ...

http://invasivespeciesireland.com/

Cool I'll give them an oul like on FB, make me feel like i did something.