Enlist Your Staff in the Fight against Pests
Get Your Employees on Board Without Blowing Your Budget

By Ron Harrison, Ph.D., Director of Technical Services, Orkin, Inc.

Now more than ever, your hospital simply can’t afford to have pests. Flies and cockroaches carry disease-causing pathogens like E. Coli and Salmonella that can threaten the safety of your patients and staff. The last thing you need is a potential lawsuit or a failed Joint Commission inspection that leads to unwanted media attention.

Your staff can serve as a crucial weapon in the fight against pests if you make them aware of their role in your facility’s pest management efforts. As budgets tighten during this tough economic climate, you may not have the time or money to invest in expensive third-party training programs. Unfortunately, pests won’t let a slow economy stop them as they seek food, water and shelter in your health care environment. By following these three easy-to-implement tips, you can encourage staff cooperation with your facility’s pest management program and keep your budget in check.

Step 1: Get on board with IPM. Implementing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program can help reduce pest activity at your facility. An environmentally friendly approach to pest management, IPM programs focus on preventing pests through a combination of non-chemical solutions, relying on chemical treatments as a last resort, and only then in the least volatile form.

Since successful IPM depends heavily on the cooperation of your staff, it’s imperative that you educate employees on the importance of IPM and the role they play in maintaining the program’s success. Some pest management professionals will provide educational resources to aid in the employee training process.

Step 2: Step up your sanitation and facility maintenance efforts. Rigorous sanitation and facility maintenance efforts are the most important components of effective IPM, and they require your staff to play an active role. Good sanitation helps eliminate pests’ basic needs and hiding places, while facility maintenance helps keep pests outside where they belong. Even the smallest improvements to your establishment’s sanitation and facility maintenance efforts can help to avert pest infestations.

Train your employees on these basic sanitation and facility maintenance tips for pest prevention success:

• Keep all doors and windows closed, and install air curtains or plastic strip doors as an added barrier in frequently used entryways.
• Seal unnecessary openings in the foundation with weather-resistant sealant. Mice can fit through holes as small as a dime, and rats only need an opening the size of a quarter to access a building.
• Trim back vegetation from the side of your facility to remove any pest harborage areas. All shrubs and plantings should be at least two feet away from the building’s perimeter to hinder pest access.
• Clean up food and drink spills immediately. Pests can make a feast out of even the smallest food particles.
• In employee break rooms, keep food in tightly sealed containers and sink areas free of dirty dishes. Wipe down counters on a daily basis.
• Thoroughly sweep and mop floors, and use a vacuum to remove the dust and debris that can collect in cracks and crevices.
• Monitor for any moisture leaks from appliances or HVAC units. Contact a maintenance professional to make the necessary repairs.
• Dispose of trash in the proper receptacles and keep all trash containers closed when not in use.

Step 3: Be on the lookout for signs of pests.

Your staff should be your “eyes and ears” when it comes to pest management. It’s critical that your employees be well versed in your facility’s pest “hot spots,” or areas most likely to attract pests, including patient and operating rooms, laundry, vending and dining areas, storage closets, and waste disposal zones. Employees should inspect these areas regularly and be able to identify signs of a pest infestation. For example, brown stains on mattresses can indicate the presence of bed bugs. Gnaw marks, droppings and exoskeletons are all evidence of potential pest infestations and should be taken seriously. Instruct your staff to notify you immediately if they suspect an infestation so that you and your pest management professional can take steps to control the problem before it becomes more severe.

With bed bugs on the rise in health care establishments, make sure your employees know your facility’s protocol if an infestation is discovered. Many reputable pest management providers offer free staff trainings to instruct employees on how to identify bed bugs and the steps they can take to manage them.

Keeping pests out of your hospital is everyone’s responsibility. Educating your staff on their role in the pest management efforts will help you win the battle against pests. The stronger your relationship with your employees, the stronger your pest defenses will be. Ron Harrison, Entomologist, Ph.D., is the Director of Training at the Orkin Training Center in Atlanta, Ga., and an acknowledged leader in the field of pest management. Contact Dr. Harrison at rharriso@rollins.com or visit www.orkincommercial.com for more information.