Tree covered in poison ivy

[Wwallace52590]

I’ve got to climb a tree that has poison ivy on it for the first time. How do you guys deal with it? Am I going to have to wash all my gear after? Throwline? Ropes? Harness?

Is poison ivy dormant in the winter? Will I have to even worry about it?

 

[Patrick A]

If the vine is still alive, the oils will spread every time you cut and touch the cut area. It does not matter what season. I frequently climb and cut poison ivy covered trees/trunks but I do not wash my gear afterwards. It all depends on your level of reaction.

 

[Cobleskill]

If you are fairly allergic even dead vines and the hair left on the wood after you pull the vine off are still potent. I have heard some people can just get close to it and get it. Doesn't sound reasonable to me. I know burning it is not good.

I know I have got some blisters from handling firewood that had just the hairs left on it. On my wrist where the glove and coat sleeve leave a bare area carrying an armload of firewood.

 

[SeanKroll]

Respirator!

 

[Burnham]

Just say no to that "got to climb" tree . I would. Me and poison ivy/oak do not play well together.

 

[flushcut]

Charge a lot more.

 

[treesmith]

Just ignore it. It's all in your head....

Seriously, that's a tough question. I pay it no mind at all. I do put my own work clothes in the washer afterward, as my wife is very allergic to it. I know folks who have to go get a shot if they come in contact with it. I have, on many occasions, when a customer asks, "Doesn't poison oak bother you?", grabbed a couple of leaves and chewed them up. I remember hearing a couple of old timers years ago saying that every spring they'd eat a few leaves to build their immunity. I have no idea as to the legitimacy of that idea.

 

[Cobleskill]

They claim American Indians used to do that. Also read you can get it in your throat. Scary.

 

[SeanKroll]

Charge a lot more.

A lot, lot more. Disposable outer layer. Preventative lotions. Washing immediately after with a wash cloth and soap scrubbing oil off. Wash all gear used.

 

[treesmith]

A lot, lot more. Disposable outer layer. Preventative lotions. Washing immediately after with a wash cloth and soap scrubbing oil off. Wash all gear used.

Wow. Thats extreme! I do bathe that evening, just as I always do, (I do scrub a bit more thoroughly), but aside from that, I do nothing. I’ve never even considered washing any of my gear because of it.

 

[Burnham]

You're most likely a rare exception, Scott. Lucky you.

Butch used to swear by taking Oral Ivy as a preventative. I have no idea if it actually works.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I'm like Scott. No longer than 5-6 hour exposure. Wash my own clothes. Long sleeves. Gloves. Might get a couple annoying pimples of the shat. Kill the itch with aspirin and or benadryl and move on. Im careful not to breath smoke if burning. Prefer that over chipping the shat though.
Or
pack it in trailer with machine and let dump deal with it.

 

[Burnham]

Chipping PI sounds like having a death wish, to me .

 

[SeanKroll]

Hot Hot water relieves the itch for a few hours, IME.

 

[Cobleskill]

Wash within an hour, preferably less. I have not got it in years doing it that way. Other than my sisters friendly dog rubbing it on me.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Broad spectrum of good options already listed. I used to be highly reactive - go to the hospital reactive (western medicine thinking would call that allergic). I found a method of clearing "allergies" called NAET, Nambudribauds Allergy Elimination Technique. Now I can be around it some and touch it a little and just get modest itching etc.

If I'm going to climb through it in a tree I pre-coat my exposed skin with Tecnu, wear a Tyvec suit, limit time as much as possible, post wash with Tecnu on the job, home to shower as efficiently as possible, wash exposed areas with Tecnu Extreme (has oil absorbing capsules in it and is $9 per tube), then rewash exposed areas with Zanfel ($35 a tube but highly effective oil absorbing capsules in it). Usually would get little or no reaction. Keep Zanfel in the truck in case I feel any follow on itching the next day(s) or if I get issues from transfer of oils from my gear.

 

[SkwerI]

30 years ago I traveled up to SC to work with a guy who I knew from Arboristsite. I had never encountered much PI and coming from Florida, I also was not familiar with most trees and vegetation losing their leaves in the winter. I climbed a removal covered with vine, all defoliated due to the cold. It was only a day or two later I discovered the vine was poison ivy. Both myself and the guy's teen daughter (who was helping) got covered in it. We were both miserable for a week. I was completely unprepared for PI.

If you know it going in, then prepare yourself by covering up completely and be careful not to spray sawdust on yourself. As soon as you finish, strip off your clothes and bathe thoroughly. Use Technu or Dawn dish soap to wash any traces of PI oil off your body. Wash or throw away your clothes immediately. Immediate action will prevent or reduce days of suffering later. If you wait until symptoms appear, it is too late.

 

[SeanKroll]

Back chain!