Landscapers beware: meliodosis in your turf

The following is an abridgement of an article originally published by NT WorkSafe.

A precipitating event

The notice by NT WorkSafe comes off the back of a Darwin landscaper reported to be diagnosed with a case of meliodosis after they sought medical attention for persistent back pain. The report came on January 23rd, 2024, with initial enquiries indicating that the individual was performing gardening duties a few days before the diagnosis. Since then, intravenous antibiotics have been administered among other appropriate treatments.

What is meliodosis?

Meliodosis is a serious bacterial diseases caused by the species Burkholderia pseudomallei, which is typically found in tropical soils and water. The tropical regions of the Australian Northern Territory see an influx of cases during the wetter months of October through to April, as rainfall can surface the bacteria where it may enter the human system through broken skin or inhalation of droplets.

The infection can indeed be fatal if not treated immediately.

Precautions

NT WorkSafe urges workplaces with outdoors workers to ensure that certain measures are put in place, particularly during the wet season:

• Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control (HIRAC) should be conducted before commencing work in a potentially contaminated environment
• Ensure workers are informed and trained to understand the potential risks and symptoms of meliodosis, the use of PPE, and hand washing practices
• Follow the Northern Territory’s Work health and safety consultation, cooperation and coordination Code of Practice and seek feedback on the effectiveness of the control measures from your team
• Consider and implement the available control measures so that risk can be minimised

Control measures may include, for example:

• Providing PPE such as glasses, gloves, and sealed footware
• Providing washing facilities and prompts to wash hands before break activities such as eating/drinking
• Provide waterproof dressings and additional PPE to deal with skin abrasions, cuts, or sores
• Minimise exposure-risking duties for workers with skin damage and/or existing vulnerabilities such as diabetes, or kidney/lung disease

More information

You may refer to the Information bulletin – Melioidosis in the workplace or the Health Alert – Melioidosis pages.