Wash off your compost!

[veggiechicken]

Just saw this and thought it would be worth bringing it to everyone's attention!http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18206191

[Florence Fennel]

Now Wash Your Hands Please

Anyone see it on the news this morning? Gardeners are being warned to wash their hands after using compost because of the threat of Legionnaire's Disease. Apparently in Australia there are health warnings on the compost bags.

[ladylottie]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-
Just saw this and thought it would be worth bringing it to everyone's attention!

Hi VC - I can't get the link to work.

Oh - there's another thread about this - now wash your hands

[veggiechicken]

Sorry - try the link now!

[chris]

I'll merge the threads. You trump FF, VC as you posted 2 mins before FF

[veggiechicken]

Two great minds looking out for you all
Thanks Chris!!

[chris]

I think it's common sense really to wash your hands after being in the garden and putting anything near your face anyway? Unless I'm just the odd one out, but I generally always (though thinking about it, I have just remembered one time recently when I didn't ) wash my hands after touching compost/soil/pets before putting anything near my face.

I'm extremely 'on the ball' about it with my kids mind. I used to eat compost and suck lumps of coal when I was a kid, but having chickens with a little helper that touches them, and plays in the compost I use - I always make sure she washes her hands straight away afterwards.

[Two_Sheds]

this isn't new news, every year there are reports of people dying from gardening. There was a poor fella who died after getting pricked by a rose.

It's definitely possible for bacteria to enter the body through cuts on the hands: so follow sensible precautions as Chris says ^

- keep cuts covered
- wash your hands in soap & HOT water if you cut yourself
- wear gloves if you're likely to get cut, or if you have cuts on your hands
- always wash your hands after handling soil (or compost), even if you had gloves on


It's the same advice for food preparation: bacteria are there just waiting for an "in"

[veggiechicken]

This warning is associated with the inhalation of droplets of water carrying Legionnaires, not bacteria entering the blood stream through cuts.

[Nicos]

Not long ago I read/heard something about LD being found in water butts too

Makes you wonder how all the 'old time' allotmenteers are still knocking around into their late 80's and 90's doesn't it?

We all need germs - and they're not so scarey now we have a vast selection of antibiotics compared to how things were 100 years ago.

Precautions? yes- of course- especially if someone is at 'high risk' due to medical problems

Will it stop me from eating strawberries straight off the plant- or fresh radish/carrots straight from the ground??? Nope.

[veggiechicken]

Will it stop me from eating strawberries straight off the plant- or fresh radish/carrots straight from the ground??? Nope.

You mean there's another way to eat strawberries?

[Bigmallly]

You mean there's another way to eat strawberries?

Yep, dunked in a tub o' ice cream.

[veggiechicken]

And in melted chocolate ..............

[Nicos]

like this??

[mothhawk]

this isn't new news, every year there are reports of people dying from gardening. There was a poor fella who died after getting pricked by a rose.

My paternal grandfather, who died before I was born, was a farmer, but died from tetanus from a large splinter he got while doing some pruning in the garden (this was way back in the forties).