Bear and Worker Safety by the Numbers in Training

When it comes to Bears, and Bear Spray and Training how are you measuring the risks!

Bear SPRAY Clean and Simple

• Bear SPRAY and Bear Awareness training CAN NOT protect you if you don’t have it handy!

Cant Say it enough CHECK AND INSPECT the Cans

If You Had to Spray . . . Expect some spray to be on you. Even with the wind at your back, some spray will get on the canister and possibly your hand. Wash your hands as soon as possible with soap and water. Also wash and rinse the canister (with the safety on!) and the nozzle. If the spray got on you and your clothing, you will have to take a shower and wash your clothes. Also wash your pack or other equipment that was contaminated. If you sprayed, set that canister aside. Do not take a partial canister into the field! Always carry a full canister. Bear Spray Maintenance Check the expiry date on your canister. They are usually good for 3 years. Old canisters and partial canisters can be used for practice. Do a visual inspection of your canister each time you take it in the field. Some canisters are made of very thin aluminum – others are much stronger. Look for dents, deep scratches and any other damage. Do not carry a damaged canister into the field. It could fail to function or malfunction spraying you.

Like all items know this!

Like a gun safety is on!

Clean that lint and dirt out

Training on Bears is MORE THAN point and spray until its all gone!

Mental Note to SafetyTo Spray . . . The animal must be close for the bear spray to be effective – 3 to 6 metres (10-20 feet). Aim the canister directly at the face of the predator and press the trigger down. The spray comes out with pressure more like a fire extinguisher than spray paint. Spray in a short burst of 1 second or less. Do not spray steadily in a sweeping motion! Do not spray in an “X” pattern! Do not spray the whole canister all at once! Instead, spray in short bursts. Each time the bear, cougar or wolf is aggressive, spray another burst. In the 230 gram canister, you may have as many as 10 bursts, or 7 seconds of steady spraying, when the outside temperature is about 20°C. In colder temperatures you’ll have less. Spray in short bursts each time the predator is aggressive. Once its aggression stops, you get out of there. The rule is “Spray and get away.” If There Is a Wind . . . Faced with a bear and the wind coming toward them, people have successfully maneuvered themselves so that the bear is downwind or at least crosswind instead of in a headwind. If you must spray into a headwind, at the last second hold your breath and close your eyes, then move out of the cloud. Open your eyes, snort the air and spray out of your nose, breathe in a small amount to test the air, and get ready to spray again.

So what did you teach?

What CONTROLS how are they noted in your program

Do you know the types and differences

Are you TALKING Bear

Are you LISTENING TO THAT BEAR THREAT A bear that stands on its hind feet is usually just trying to get a better look and smell by sniffing the air. This is not an aggressive posture in of itself. It simply means that the bear is unsure of what is in front of him, but still could drop on all fours and charge. A bear that swings its head from side to side, or turns sideways from you, is expressing a reluctance

to charge and is looking for a way out of the situation. If a bear looks you in the eyes directly and has its ears back, it's warning that you are too close and feels threatened. A bear may also make

barking, woofing or moaning sounds to indicate this. If a bear "pops" its jaws, it is very agitated and most often will charge. Charges are often a test to resolve a situation and are often "bluff charges"

where the bear stops short of you, veers off and runs right past you. A bear might bluff charge many times before leaving. A bear may also bluff charge a few times and then come at you at a different

angle. A bear that does charge, and knocks you down, is attempting to remove a threat.

Each SPECIES has certain traits

How do you Know the Bear is here!

How do you know bears are in the area! Tracks are one key indicator of bears. Black and grizzly bears also have very different tracks. The most important difference in the two bears feet are in

the length of the claws. Black bears have shorter claws, while the long claws of a grizzly can extend up to 10 cm (3.9 in).While claw length can help identify those tracks with clear imprints, there are two more reliable indicators of species. Black bear tracks tend to have the toes slightly

separated, whereas grizzly tracks show toes that are usually joined together. In mating season (May-June around here), mature males have a musky odor on the crown and back of the neck—

the parts they rub on trees to leave scent. Bears can have bad breath if they were hungry enough to eat carrion, but usually they eat fresh berries, nuts, vegetation, and insects and have perfect breath. Any tree showing marks where it was bitten and scratched by a black bear. Bears will not only scratch and bite larger trees, but they will bite the tops off smaller trees. Black Bear

Scat (poop). Black bear scat varies tremendously, given the variation in bear diets. The shape, size, and quantity of scat depends on what the bear is feeding on. If a cursory examination

shows the remains of roots, or tubers, the scat likely belongs to a grizzly since black bears lack the claws to reliably dig up these plants.

That encounter is your

WARNING

Is it a C or D or P

Meeting

Bear SprayDo you Know How?

Rule 1 get proper training, rule 2 practice your training this not the time to panic!In the rare case of an aggressive confrontation, bear spray is your best defense. Bear Spray plays an important part in reducing attacks during human encounters with bears. It is an effective deterrent of North American bears, but it can be adversely affected by wind, rain, temperature, and even how close the bear is when it charges.Sprays are made from oleoresin capsicum, it is the capsaicin and related capsaicinoids that are the active ingredients in bear spray. Therefore, if you see claims on a large can that state 10%, 20%, or 30% oleoresin capsicum, it is Bear spray (personal defense spray), not bear spray. Also, bear spray labels will clearly refer to bears, and state it is a bear deterrent, bear repellent, or for stopping charging or attacking bears. Capsaicin and related capsaicinoids range between 1 and 2.0%. The variance in potency within this range is negligible, and all will affect the eyes, nose, throat and lungs of a bear. The minimum size can the government will register currently is 7.9 ounces, or 225 gramsWhen choosing a bear spray make sure that it has the following features: Minimum weight of 7.9 ounces Minimum spray range of 15 feet Expiry date clearly noted. Be sure to read the manufacturers instructions on proper use of your spray.Bear Bear spray is useless in a backpack or not within immediate reach. It needs to be carried in a holster or attached directly to a pack strap that is within easy reach. If a bear charges you from a distance, spray a 2-3 second burst in the direction of the bear, pointing the canister slightly downwards and spraying with a slight side-to-side motion. This distributes an expanding cloud of spray that the bear must pass through before it gets close to you. Spray additional bursts if the bear continues toward you. Sometimes just the noise of the spray and the appearance of the spray cloud is enough to deter a bear from continuing its charge. Spray additional bursts if the bear makes additional charges.

Bend that ArmThe most intense effects of bear spray may last 30-45 minutes. It is potent enough to cause extreme discomfort and damage to the eyes if it is accidentally released at close range.

Canisters have been known to explode if left in a vehicle in summer. Remember, bear spray is your last defense - your best defense is to avoid an encounter altogether by making lots of noise, being aware of your surroundings and watching for signs of bears in the area. Bear spray is adversely affected by freezing temperatures, strong winds, heavy rain or snow, and age. These factors may reduce the distance and duration that bear spray will spray. Keep a safe and appropriate distanceMost Bear sprays can shoot up to 10-15 feet so be sure to know how much yours can spray up to. Keeping a good distance between you and the attacker will not only make you safer but will also give you the ability to get a more accurate aim. Keep your arm slightly bentUnless there is a safe distance between you and the attacker you should never reach out at an arm’s length when deploying Bear spray. Doing this increases the risk of the attacker knocking the canister out of your hand. Instead keep your arm slightly bent and use the spare arm to guard the other.The suggested minimum spray duration they recommended was 6 seconds. (Again, they would have preferred more time, but this was the minimum they considered to be acceptable. Anything under that they considered to be unlikely to provide sufficient protection.) Their reasons for this recommendation was to ensure sufficient protection in a variety of bear charge/attack situations such as:More than one bear charging or attacking from different directions (mother with large cubs, mating pairs, siblings traveling together);• Repeated charges or attacks (some bears will charge toward you, retreat, and charge again; others may circle around you and then

charge);• Defending yourself from a bear that turns on you after you have sprayed it to stop it from attacking someone else in your party;• Exceptionally aggressive bears (a mother with cubs or a bear protecting a fresh kill);• Weather conditions that may affect the spray (wind, rain, cold);• Erratic spraying (fear factor causing some spray to be wasted because it is sprayed to soon, sprayed longer than necessary, or

sprayed above the bear);• Reserve spray for the immediate retreat out after a charge or attack.

Your Spray is A back up not the last line of defense

The words go away

don’t bother me don’t work

here

So do you understand

Never Run, You'll never make it!

A bear's speed on land varies from species to species. Black bears are the fastest, Bears can run more than 60 kilometers an hour, and they can do it up hills, down

hills or along a slope. To put that in perspective, that's 15 m/sec or 50 ft/sec – more than twice as fast as we can run. In fact, a bear can outrun a racehorse over

short distances but has little endurance. followed by grizzly bears, which can run up to 30 miles per hour. Humans, on the other hand, clock in at an average of 45

kilometers per hour, or 28 miles per hour. This speed is slightly less than a house cat's

With these bears you need to know this with

BLACKS fight back

So lets relook at CONTROLS

Seems simple but without practice USELESS

Bear Spray Operational Usage

Arming and Use of Bear SprayPASS (Point Aim Squeeze Spray)

What did you cover on this one and how is it regulated

First Aid is just as important as

Reporting

BEAR SPRAY FIRST AID AND DAWN SOAP• Pepper Spray Antidote and First Aid and 30 + Minutes of Water Flushing• It's good to know a defense pepper spray antidote, in case spray is ever blown back on you, or in case you accidentally spray yourself or

someone else. Since pepper spray is oil based (derived from oleoresin capsicum) it simply won’t wash away with just water unless applied over an extended period of time (say 30 minutes or more)

• VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have been contaminated with pepper spray (especially in the face) DO NOT RUB the contaminated area because it will not remove or stop the side effects. Resist this urge as much as possible. Pepper spray is an inflammatory agent. It is designed to inflame your capillaries and cause a horrific burning sensation. When you touch a contaminated area you aid the pepper spray in opening up the capillaries. And the instant you do this the burning sensation will increase ten fold and it will spread.

• Stopping the Burn . . .Our highly recommend first aid recommendation for pepper spray removal is to start with applying whole milk to the affected area. You can apply it to the effected area via a spray bottle, splash it directly on your skin, saturate a clean towel and lay it over the effected area or submerse the effected area. The milk should help take the burn away. However, this will not remove the oils in the pepper spray. For getting the oils off we recommend using the below antidote. Removing the Pepper Spray Oil from Your Skin Use a solution of 25% “Dawn” (noticed we mentioned a brand name) dishwashing detergent and 75% water. You can probably get away with using less detergent but we have always used this formula. Use cold water and make up at least a gallon because you are going to have to wash the effected area at least 7 to 8 times.

• If your face is contaminated mix the detergent in a bowl that that is deep enough to immerse your face in for 10 or 15 seconds at a time. Let the detergent start to do its job of breaking down the oils. Do not use your hands or a cloth to wipe the solution away. Just let it sit. Once you have done this a few times you can start lightly using your hands (after they have been dipped in the solution) or use a solution-saturated towel to work the detergent into your skin. Because your skin will absorb some of the oils you will not be able to completely wash it out. But by this time at least the effects will be tolerable.

• What Happens When You Have Been Sprayed with Pepper SprayUnlike other repellants or gas, which wears off fairly quickly and can be (to some extent) washed off, pepper spray's main ingredient hangs in there, causing serious discomfort for more than a half hour after exposure and even after attempts at washing away. Capsicum creates heat and minor nerve irritation, actually reducing other signals sent from nerves to the brain. The debilitating effects last for more than 30 minutes, and lessen over several hours.

• Pepper Spray and Allergic ReactionsAlthough there are no known specific lethal dose or lethal concentration listed on the Materials Safety Data Sheet for OC it has been implicated in the deaths of some individuals sprayed with it. These people had a violent allergic reactions that was life threatening known as anaphylaxis. Symptoms of this condition include obstructed airways as a result of swelling, fainting and shock. Those with a higher risk of an adverse reaction to pepper spray are asthmatics.

Bear Spray StorageNot in a Hot Vehicle

Bear spray is a non-lethal pepper deterrent containing active ingredients derived from capsicum. Capsicum derivatives are an extreme irritant of the skin, eyes, nose, throat, and lungs of bears, humans, and other mammals. Bear spray containers are under high pressure and are extremely flammable. If punctured, bear spray canisters may become flying missals with erratic flight paths. When not being used in the field, bear spray must be stored properly to avoid injury or irritation from accidental exposure. At Office or Place of Business

When storing bear spray at office or place of business it should always be stored in a safety container. Do not store bear spray near open flame, fire, sparks, or heated surfaces. Exposure to temperatures above 120 degrees may cause bear spray canisters to burst. And yes you must have the MSDS sheet onsite

In a VehicleBear spray should never be transported or stored inside the passenger compartment of any vehicle unless it is contained in a transportation and storage safety container. In pick-up trucks bear spray should be transported and stored in the bed or the tool box, not inside the cab. Remember, the inside of a pickup or car with the windows closed can reach temperatures over 181 degrees F. Bear spray can explode at a temperature of about 120 degrees. Accidental discharge of bear spray in a car or truck could incapacitate the driver and would likely cause a crash.

Transport Canada Helicopter or AirplaneBear spray is not allowed inside of helicopters or fixed wing aircraft. Bear spray must be transported outside of the cockpit in the baskets or sling load. Accidental discharge of bear spray in a helicopter or small plane could incapacitate the pilot and likely cause a crash.

Safety Note Check the Expiration DateThe seal on bear spray canisters may fail anytime after the end of the expiration year printed on the can. Check the date and properly dispose of any expired cans of bear spray.

If you have questions at this point

YOU and your TEAM are in serious trouble