Hogweed Sap

[Tangaroa]

Hi - can anyone tell me if the sap of native hogweed species causes irritation to skin? I am aware that Giant Hogweed can cause painful blisters but did not think that native hogweed caused any problems?

Cheers

[ladyhawk]

I was told hogweed sap does cause irritation of the skin, especially when you are out in the sun which makes it worse if you get any on your skin try to wash it off asp.

[Dorts]

The sap of many plants have a 'phototoxic' sap causing irritation in sunlight.
I was working in horticulture as a young lad, and we were always being warned of plants that could cause rashes, mainly Primulas. Although I was never affected, many were.
Dorts.

[Meta menardi]

If you are ever foolhardy enough to strim general weeds with out covering your skin, you may well find that a good splatter of plant sap and fibre can cause all sorts of hurt. I don't think that hogweed sap is a big problem, but many plants cause problems that vary in severity with an individuals sensitivity.

[eeyore]

the sap of any the umbellifer family can have a phototoxic effect on some people, but giant hogweed is the only one that allways does (personally i have a cow parsley allergy - probably from years of working with a brush cutter)

[Tangaroa]

Thanks for your replies - We are strimming Himalyan Balsam using community service guys and some of them are complaining about getting a rash which their supervisors insist is from Hogweed - Apparently its been seeping through there PPE etc etc - However they dont always wear full PPE so I am a little dubious my self - the joys of Balsam control

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Tangaroa

Thanks for your replies - We are strimming Himalyan Balsam using community service guys and some of them are complaining about getting a rash which their supervisors insist is from Hogweed - Apparently its been seeping through there PPE etc etc - However they dont always wear full PPE so I am a little dubious my self - the joys of Balsam control

yeah some people vare allergic to balsam sap too so it could just be that - I'd be doubtful of the seeping through the ppe tho - in 15 plus years of countryside workive never experienced anything seeping through gloves etc (that would have to be a hell of a lot of sap)

by the way the phototoxic effect of hogweed/giant hogweed isnt a rash - its full on burns and blistering



believe me if they had hogweed burns they'd know about it - I got one alll down my chest once (spray through the V of my top) and its not somerthing you could mistake for anything else

If its just a rask on the hands then its probably either sensitvity to the HB sap, or the effect of getting spattered with lots of tiny bits of nettle - while not wearing gloves

[Tangaroa]

Yeah that looks pretty nasty - I am very sure they havent developed anything like that - unfortunatley I think they are finding the work a little difficult and are looking for a way out......cheers for the info though....

[Meta menardi]

Community service workers are quite difficult. I have not had to deal with them, but I do know a gang ring barked all the trees on one site, broke the handles of the tools and... they were never asked back. That made them think again.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Tangaroa

Yeah that looks pretty nasty - I am very sure they havent developed anything like that - unfortunatley I think they are finding the work a little difficult and are looking for a way out......cheers for the info though....

the problem with comunity service people is that they arent there through choice - my guys (who are volunteers) are out strimming and mowing virtually every task at the mo and i'm not getting any serious moaning, but then they choose to do it (and more power to 'em)

Community service wise you need to sit down with the supervisors and make it clear that it is up to them to make their charges work - community service is suposed to be a punishment, it aint supposed to be fun (you might also mention that they could be given much worse tasks than the fairly interesting use of strimmers - the last community service lot i had (this was in MK , we dont use CS teams in my curent role) I made them pick up litter and dog poop and clean grafiti off walls with a toothbrush (as some of them were probably the little 'stards who dropped the litter and did the grafiti I saw a degree of natural justice in that tasking