Weil’s disease and Leptospirosis are two terms you’re likely to come across when taking the CSCS test. This disease is well known for taking the lives of quite a number of construction workers in the UK and around the world.
But what exactly is weil’s disease? Here I will explain to you the causes of Weil’s disease and how it relates to construction workers taking the CSCS test.
Weil’s disease is a bacterial infection commonly found in streams, lakes and puddles of water. It derives from animals such as rats, squirrels and livestock urinating in the water and contaminating it with vicious bacteria. This bacteria then flows downstream awaiting its human victims to latch on to.
The bacteria commonly enters the human body through open wounds and splashes of water entering the mouth, when working in areas such as sewers or near stagnant puddles of water it’s often advised to wear waterproof plasters on open wounds or waterproof PPE would be better.
The disease is not known for being airborne nor is it normally transmitted through skin contact, it’s rats who are well known for being the carriers of weil’s disease.
Construction workers who work in remote areas that are close to lakes or rivers are often reminded of the dangers of Leptospirosis, the likeliness of catching this disease is so high that it’s one of the main topics highlighted when taking the CSCS health and safety test.
