For the industrial professional working outdoors, be it in the field, wilderness or remote terrain, they may be familiar with taking along a canister of spray as protection from wildlife. Of course, the most common is bear spray, the legality of which and its obtainability varies from state to state and country to country. Bear spray is a type of pepper spray, and within bear spray is contained capsaicin, the chemical compound that causes the burning sensation of a jalapeno pepper. Though it primarily is intended to ward off bears, it can be effective against all creatures with eyes, nose, mouth and lungs. With this in mind, we at MEGA TOOL CO., LTD. are dedicating this article to explore the question is bear spray legal in texas, what the laws and regulations are, as well as some safety tips for using this and other types of sprays.

As an industrial professional, you may find yourself needing to be in an area where bears and other potentially dangerous animals roam. For example, if you are a roads and highways worker, rail workers or airport personnel, you may need to spend time inspecting sites where animals may be present on a regular basis. Because of the temperature in these areas, you may not want to wait until dusk to do these inspections, hence the time of day when animal presence may be an issue.

With the above in mind, bear spray is legal and available for use in Texas, so long as it is purchased and carried legally; for example, there have been reports of people carrying around bear spray that they purchased illegally, or for the purposes of illegal activities. Likewise, bear spray is not considered a firearm, and therefore does not fall under regulations governing the use of firearms.

As mentioned throughout this article, bear spray can be an important part of your safety gear. Other articles on our MEGA TOOL CO., LTD. blog have focused on the necessity of ear and eye protection, upper and lower body protection. The same holds true when it comes to ensuring your safety while working in the field. The above-mentioned laws, and their nuances, can be confusing, which is why at the industrial, manufacturing, construction, plumbing and electrical, engineering and business level you need to have complete understanding.

Just because something is legal to carry and use does not mean it will not draw some unwanted attention. For example, if you simply can’t afford bear spray but must head to certain areas as part of your job, then know that there are laws, penalties and issues surrounding the use of both legal and illegal sprays that can be dangerous for you. This is true not just from the point of facing animal attacks, but also illegal charges and penalties.

For more information on wildlife safety and regulations, you can visit National Park Service – Watching Wildlife.