News

At times it has been tough coming up with news-worthy material relating to security and safety issues. One can only do so many stories on “joiners” without becoming too seedy.
Hopefully throughout the year I provided or was able to supplement reporting on relevant security and safety matters such as the bombings; current crime trends and prevention of the same; and provide useful input to improve overall security procedures and readiness. All of which were the intended goals of these letters. If I haven’t achieved these goals, please let me know (privately). Of course you can always tell me when a particular item serves you well – (this can be done publicly).
 

This month we will delve into quite a different topic, but one that I know is relevant to many of our clients who have had guests experiencing related incidents.

I. Throughout the last year we have had guests at client resorts - mostly those on or near the water - complain of snake bites, jellyfish stings, the occasional spider bite, and even an alleged encounter with the poisonous Rockfish. The following is a listing of Thailand’s animals that may be poisonous or infectious if they bite or sting a human and appropriate first aid (when applicable) to administer.
 

1. Snakes. Since Thailand is a tropical country there is an abundance of poisonous and non-poisonous snakes. Some of these snakes can be found in the vicinity of human
habitats because around humans easy prey such as chickens, ducks, rats, mice and sometimes even dogs is available.
Snakes are not all that bad and they play their part in nature by controlling pests and rodents. The only time that you should kill a snake is if you are bitten. You should then bring the dead snake along for identification, so that you will get the right antidote.
Since humans are not the preferred prey of snakes (except in the movies), there is normally little danger from these mostly timid animals. However, if they feel threatened, some of them can be deadly. Most snake bites happen through carelessness and not being aware of your immediate environment.
a. Prevention – Avoid the Snakes. Snakes sense the vibrations made by human footsteps and they normally flee the scene as quickly as possible. You should therefore step powerfully when you’re wandering through high grass. This simple method is one of the most effective methods of prevention available. If however you are faced with a snake in your path, give it the possibility to escape and 9 out of 10 times the snake will do so. Stay calm at all times.
The most dangerous time is at dusk and at night, especially since your own sight is limited so be very careful at this time of day.
In your immediate neighbourhood, you should only tolerate harmless or non-aggressive snakes. If you are confronted with dangerous snakes, try to catch them safely or have them removed by experts who know what they are doing.
b. Catching a Snake. If your guest, staff, neighbour is bitten by the snake, efforts should be made to “safely” catch the snake for transport with the victim to the hospital so medical personnel will be able to determine what antidote (if any) to administer.
An expedient snake catcher can be made from water pipes (20mm in diameter) and needs to be over two meters long. A strong rope goes through the water pipe with a loop at the end that can be tightened from your side of the pipe. You will have to try to place the loop around the head of the snake and tighten the rope. Then the snake needs to be placed in a tight cotton bag.
NB. Cobras should be handled with extreme care and only when wearing protective glasses, since some of them can spit venom with extreme accuracy into your eyes up to 3 meters away.
c. First Aid for Snake Bites.

The following are common symptoms for Snake Bites:

• bloody wound discharge
• fang marks in the skin and swelling at the site of the bite
• severe localized pain
• diarrhea
• burning
• fainting
• dizziness
• weakness
• blurred vision
• excessive sweating
• fever
• convulsions
• increased thirst
• loss of muscle coordination
• nausea and vomiting
• numbness and tingling
• rapid pulse

Treating a Snake Bite. Everything you have seen in the movies, such as sucking the poison out of the wound, cutting it out with a knife etc. is COMPLETELY wrong. You would only increase the damage which is already done. The ONLY things that really work are the following:
1) Calm the victim down. Fear and panic result in a higher pulse rate and therefore quicken the spreading of poison if any is present.
2) Call for Emergency Assistance.
3) Request Appropriate Staff to Identify and/or Catch the Snake that bit the victim. (See Snake Catching above.)
4) Treatment of the bite wound. The wounds should be cleaned with soap and water and covered to avoid further infections. Do not try to extract any poison by putting pressure on the area. If the bite is in the hand or arm, remove all rings and watches because of possible swelling.
5) Immobilize the wounded area. To slow down the spreading of any possible poison, immobilize the wound area (arm or leg) without applying any pressure. Do not let the victim walk or run!!! The less movement, the better.
6) Try to slow down the blood circulation of the affected limb. If there is no hope of finding medical treatment within 30 minutes of the incident, you will have to slow down the blood circulation by applying a tourniquet.
The slowing down of the blood circulation might be the only way to prevent the spreading of the poison in the above scenario. The tourniquet should be applied by a person with some experience in first-aid, or if possible, by a doctor because there is a risk of increasing the damage. The tourniquet can be a rubber band, a
towel or a similar piece of material, and then applied in such a way that the circulation is slowed down but never completely stopped. Do not remove the tourniquet before arriving at the hospital!!!
7) Transport of the victim. The victim should be transported lying down and should be transported to a hospital as quickly as possible. Find out whether the hospital (most do) have snake serum available. Again - Avoid allowing the victim to walk as this increase the blood circulation.
8) Observe the victim. During transportation of the victim, he/she should be constantly observed. The bite may inflict extreme pain. Some snakes have nerve poison, thus numbing the wound area and being almost pain free. Depending on the kind of venom, swelling, vomiting, a racing heart beat and headache, vomiting blood, hanging eyelids and localized loss of tissue might occur. Never give any painkilling medication since most of these have a thinning effect on the blood and therefore increase the spread of poison.
9) At the hospital. To ascertain which kind of serum is to be used, it is very important to give as much information as possible about what kind of snake inflicted the bite. If the snake was caught, bring the snake with you. If this is not possible, try to remember the colour, shape of the head, size. etc. The victim should also have a current tetanus inoculation.
First Aid: spitting cobra. Some Cobras spit their venom straight into the eyes of their victim. They can do this with stunning accuracy up to 3 meters. If this occurs, the victim’s eyes should be rinsed out thoroughly with clear water. Since this is the Cobra’s first line of defence, try to avoid being bitten afterwards by slowly retreating. The cobras are amongst the most deadly snakes in the world!
On the following page are the poisonous snakes found in Thailand

2. Scorpions. Scorpions are prevalent throughout Thailand. Some scorpions in Thailand are poisonous; however the poison is so mild it is comparable to the sting of a bee or a wasp. A scorpion’s tail is its weapon. Scorpions deliver their poison through the stinger at the end of their tail. The stinger is normaly only used when hunting or whenever the Scorpion feels threatened (cornered). The scorpion’s poison can kill smaller prey such as lizards, birds, and rodents in minutes. An important note is that the smaller the scorpion, the more potent the venom. As Scorpions grow, their venom gets more diluted by the water they pick up throughout the years. Also, the smaller the Scorpion, the more painful the sting it produces, because of its poison potency.
Scorpions are nocturnal creatures, preferring to hunt in the dark of night. During the day Scorpions sleep in burrows under the ground or under the desert rocks. It is rare that you will see a Scorpion out in the light of day, unless it has been roused from its burrow or awakened by the noise of larger predators. At daylight or when encountering a larger foe, they will normaly retreat into burrows or beneath rocks. It is not recommended that you go looking for Scorpions as they will sting if threatened or provoked in any way.
A scorpion’s sting is painful but mostly harmless. A man once compared the sting of a Scorpion with the punch of a full grown man giving it all he had. If stung by a Scorpion, the “stung” area should be immediately disinfected and the victim lay down and rest while being monitored for one hour to see if he develops any allergic reactions. Allergic reactions are unlikely, but just as with bee stings, they do occur. If the victim displays any symptoms of an allergic reaction, transport the victim to the nearest hospital.
 

3. Centipedes. Centipedes are prevalent throughout Thailand. Ordinarily, centipedes dwell outdoors in moist, protected localities at ground level: beneath accumulations of leaves, under stones, rotted logs, boards, leaves, bark and compost piles. When disturbed, centipedes run swiftly. Centipedes may crawl into homes and conceal themselves in various articles, such as shoes, diaper pails, laundry baskets, boxes and damp towels left on bathroom floors. Although they are not considered aggressive towards humans, centipedes to not like to be cornered or touched and will respond defensively in such situations.
The Centipede’s head carries a pair of long, sensitive antennae and, in addition to small chewing mouthparts, a pair of large, strong claw-like structures which close together like tongs just below the head. These claws are equipped with poison glands. Centipedes are carnivorous and use their poisonous claws to seize and paralyze their prey. They hunt, mostly at night, for arthropods and other invertebrates such as insects, spiders and worms.
Because of their poison glands and ability to bite, centipedes do pose an occasional threat to man. The bite of a centipede, even the largest species, is not sufficiently toxic to be lethal to humans to include small children. The poison in a centipede’s bite usually produces only a moderate reaction similar to that of a bee sting.
Although not life threatening, a Centipede’s bite can be very painful and like a bee sting, a infectious reaction may occur with certain individuals. If a reaction occurs, transport the victim immediately to medical assistance.
 

4. Spiders. Spiders are predatory animals, which consume other animals (including other spiders) for food. For the vast majority of spider species, biting (and injection of venom) is the way the spider paralyzes its prey; before consuming it.
Spiders also use biting as a defensive mechanism; though the primary purpose of spider venom is to capture food. Spiders have the capability to control how much venom (if any) is injected into a target, and adjust the dosage given according to circumstances. As venom costs the spider energy to produce, it is advantageous to the spider not to waste it. Spider bites are characterized as either attacking or defensive, depending on whether the spider is attempting to subdue prey, or to repel a perceived threat. When capturing prey, spiders will typically adjust the amount of venom delivered based on the size of the meal; when defending itself, a spider's only goal is to secure relief from being squeezed or otherwise injured and normally little or no venom is injected.
As spiders do not prey on humans (or other large mammals), spiders do not "attack" people. It is rare for spiders to mistake humans for prey. Almost all bites that humans receive are defensive bites, and frequently the spider drives the human off just by the pain of its bite.
Many bites occur when a person steps on a spider, or inserts a limb into an article of clothing that the spider occupies. Even small spiders may deliver painful bites to people when pinched.
Spiders throughout Thailand are for the most part harmless. Treatment for bites depends on the type of spider in question. Most spider bites are harmless, and will require no first aid. However, some of Thailand’s spiders are mildly poisonous and
their bite is comparable to the sting of a bee or a wasp. If a person is bit by a spider and develops swelling or allergic symptoms they need to be taken to medical assistance. In such cases it is good to try to kill the spider to take along with the victim to determine appropriate treatment – if the spider escapes, a good description of the spider would be helpful. Even if no symptoms are observed on the spider’s victim, it is always a good practice to administer first aid.
Treatments for more minor bites should be as for any puncture wound. The wound should first be encouraged to bleed to wash out any foreign material and debris. (Many wounds will not bleed because they are so small in diameter that they seal immediately.) Topical antiseptics such as Isodine® should be applied on the off chance that the bite introduced some virus or microbe beneath the skin level and that the antiseptic can penetrate to that depth. The bite should be observed for a couple of days so that medical attention can be sought if signs of infection appear. First aid may also involve the application of an ice pack to control inflammation. Aloe vera may also be applied to the bite area to soothe and help control the pain. Again if allergic symptoms or continued discomfort persists, seek medical aid.
NB. Many spider bites, including those by some dangerous species, are relatively painless at first and may go unnoticed if not directly observed. These bites may only be noticed later if serious symptoms appear, in such cases the spider is usually no longer present.
 

5. Jellyfish. No brains, no bones, but what a sting!
Jellyfish are found in every ocean in the world to include along the waters of Thailand. There are 2,000 species of jellyfish and of that number 70 are poisonous (those not poisonous) still carry a sting that hurts. Thailand has its share of jellyfish species and one that is poisonous: the Sea Wasp Jellyfish. The Sea Wasp Jellyfish is typically found in Australian waters but has also been found in Thailand’s waters.
Most jellyfish are passive drifters (floating not really swimming) atop the water. The body of an adult jellyfish is composed of a bell-shaped, jelly producing substance enclosing its internal structure, from which the animal’s tentacles are suspended. Each tentacle is covered with stinging cells that can sting or kill other prey as well as being used as a defense mechanism. While floating along the water jellyfish open and close their body to create a slow current which brings food to them. Jellyfish feed on small fish and plankton that ride this slow current towards them and become caught in their tentacles.
A jellyfish appears graceful in the water, but appears as a gooey blob if washed up onto the beach. Important to note that even when washed ashore and dead, the jellyfish tentacles will still sting a person if they are touched. The same applies even when the tentacles are separated from the body of the jellyfish.
The poison from a jellyfish sting causes a sharp burning sensation that may last from minutes to hours.
First Aid for Jelly Fish stings:
1) Immediately flood the area with vinegar or rubbing alcohol. Or sprinkle meat tenderizer or put a baking soda and water paste on the sting. Don't rinse with water, this could release more poison.
2) Pluck off any vinegar-soaked tentacles with a stick or tool.
3) Never rub the area with sand.
4) Irrigate exposed eyes with room temperature tap water for at least 15 minutes. If vision blurs, or eyes continue to tear, hurt, swell, or are light sensitive after irrigating, see a doctor.
5) Transport victim to medical assistance if victim experiences shortness of breath, weakness, muscle cramps, or pain becomes unbearable, any other generalized symptoms.
 

6. Dragonfish. Dragonfish are not found near sandy beaches; but be can find near corals and on rocky coastlines (such as some places around Samui). Divers and snorkelers should be especially careful.
This Dragonfish is very aggressive and does not have to feel threatened to be provoked into attacking.
A sting from one of its needles brings immediate and extreme pain, and the infected area will start swelling immediately!
Do not try to apply any aid whatsoever but seek medical help immediately
 

7. Rockfish. Rockfish are one of the most poisonous animals of the sea. Like Dragonfish, the Rockfish also inhabits rocky coastlines. Rockfish are masters of disguise and on and between rocks are practically invisible. Unlike Rockfish they are very rare and relatively shy and fatal accidents are more the exception than the rule.
(Having said that though a guest at a Samui resort located on a rocky coastline did say they encountered a Rockfish.)
The poison from a Rockfish bite spreads very quickly and provokes terrible pain and swellings. No recommended first aid other then immediately seeking medical assistance.

***

II. ESC Star of the Month Program. European Safety Concepts is proud to announce its new Star Employee of the Month program. This program is designed to recognize employees who have served ESC and its clients in an exceptional manner. This program will commence in July 2007.
All security officers and supervisors are eligible to be nominated for the Star Employee of the Month. Each month ESC will select one security officer or supervisor from each major geographical area to recognize their exemplary service. The winners will receive a monetary award, a framed certificate, public recognition, and be eligible to compete for the Annual Employee of the Year Award. .
Star Employees of the Month will be selected as follows:

1 x Pattaya City
1 x Jomtien/N. Pattaya City
1 x Samui
1 x Hua Hin
1 x Bangkok
1 x Eastern Seaboard/Rayong
1 x Northern Region (Chiangmai & Golden Triangle)

For clients that have an ESC security force of at least six persons, ESC Area Managers will respectfully request each of our clients’ management team to nominate a security officer or supervisor each month from the staff we provide to that client.
For clients with less than six security officers, the Area Manager in consultation with the client’s management team will determine if any one of the security officers meet criteria to make the security officer eligible to compete for the Star of the Month.
The nominee should be an ESC security officer or supervisor who performs outstanding service and exhibits a positive and supportive attitude.

At a minimum the nominee should:
Report to work promptly.
Have not received a Written or Verbal Warning
Always be clean shaven and in proper uniform.
Never sleeps on the job.
Follows the client’s rules for employee behaviour.
Area Managers will request the Management Team nominate any deserving employee by the last day of each month – starting with July 2007.
The Area Manager will then weigh each nomination on the nominated employees’ overall work performance, attitude, demeanour, etc… The Area Manager will select a finalist for their Area based on their scoring sheet.
Area Managers will submit their Star of the Month Recognition sheet to ESC Headquarters.
Attachments (Added separately following the conclusion of the newsletter)
 

1. Client Nomination Form ***

ESC Star Employee
Nomination Form
Client:
Month/Year:
I hereby nominate (name):
Nominee's Job Title:
Nominee's Employee Number:
Nominee's Location of Work:
Nominee's Supervisor:
Nomination for the following reasons:
Nominated by:
Position:
Date:
Do not write below this line
Date Received:
Received by:

As always any feedback is appreciated. Please email ESC at secops@esc.co.th.


European Safety Concepts
secops@esc.co.th