Entomological Health and Safety for Ecologists and Environmental Professionals

Outdoor work for environmental professionals in ecological, engineering, or resource management settings frequently brings workers into contact with arthropods. Some are dangerous, many are disruptive, and most are overlooked in traditional safety planning. Entomological Health and Safety for Ecologists and Environmental Professionals offers a structured, field-focused guide to the medical and operational risks posed by insects, arachnids, and their allies. Combining insights from biology, health and safety, and practical field experience, it equips readers with the knowledge to anticipate, assess, and mitigate arthropod-related risks across a wide range of environments and occupations.From mosquito-borne pathogens to venomous spiders, from allergic reactions to massive insect emergences that disrupt logistics, this guide goes beyond identification to evaluate risk through a clear exposure and severity framework. It is designed for field biologists, utility crews, safety officers, project managers, and anyone who plans or participates in outdoor work, especially where biological hazards are underappreciated but unavoidable.Key Features:Practical exposure × severity risk model applicable to diverse arthropod encountersStructured entries for over 100 arthropod hazards, including arachnids, crustaceans, myriapods, and insectsOperational insights into allergic responses, panic-inducing swarms, vector transmission, and field logisticsRegionally variable risk considerations with support for SOPS, JHAs, and HASPsField-ready summaries, visual ID aids, and training support toolsIdeal for professionals in environmental consulting, land management, public works, and scientific fieldwork, this book empowers teams to plan confidently, reduce avoidable risk, and improve morale by understanding the entomological landscape of their job sites. Whether you’re building a risk register or briefing a crew before deployment, this guide offers clarity, caution, and competence – without alarmism.

Grant D. De Jong, Ph.D., B.C.E., is an entomologist, ecologist, and educator with more than three decades of experience in field biology and environmental consulting. A Board Certified Entomologist and author of over three dozen peer-reviewed publications and two books, he has led ecological investigations in forests, streams, wetlands, deserts, and coastal systems across the United States and internationally.Before entering academia, Dr. De Jong spent 22 years in environmental consulting, where he managed ecological field projects in urban and mining-impacted watersheds, led the development of health and safety protocols for ecological fieldwork and electrofishing operations, and provided technical taxonomic oversight for a biological laboratory. He now serves as Assistant Teaching Professor of Biology at Pensacola Christian College, where he teaches ecology, entomology, parasitology, and research methods and mentors undergraduate researchers.Drawing on extensive field experience, Dr. De Jong brings a dual perspective of practical insight and scholarly rigor to Entomological Health & Safety, offering scientifically grounded guidance for professionals who work where arthropods and environmental risk intersect.