Best Practices To Pest-Proof Your Office Or Workspaces

I think it’s safe to say no place of work would be happy having pests in the office. In fact, it is unsafe and unpleasant and does not promote a safe working environment if there is a pest outbreak.

Best Practices to Pest-Proof Your Office/Workspace

So, what can be done to ensure you have happy workers and a pest-free workplace?

Well first let’s look at what possible common pests can be found in the office.

What common pests can be found in the office?

The list of pests that could be found in the office is endless as there really is no way to control what your staff bring in from their home, either intentionally or unintentionally. A lot of insects can piggyback into the office unnoticed by the host. It may even be the case that the individual is unaware they have a problem in their own home and then bring them into work.

It could also be the nature of the business that causes the pest infestation. An example of this is when letting agents visit a rental property and pick up some unwanted pests such as fleas and take them back to the office. In this situation there should be procedures put in place to ensure any infestations are taken back to the office.

Rodents

Rats and Mice are common visitors to an office environment. With offices often having computers, servers and lots of cabling, rodents find it easy to navigate around a property. Often this is not helped by staff keeping food in desks and food wrappers in the bin. All of which are easy food sources for a hungry rodent.

Insects

An insect infestation is a very difficult situation to mitigate against beyond the usual housekeeping measures we have spoken about already. It will be the staff working in the office that will cause outbreaks if any. Following the suggestions in this blog will give guidance and a start point to limit the chances of an insect outbreak.

Flies

Flies will quickly lay eggs and before you know it maggots and fly infestation is in full swing. Staff need to know it is their actions that will steer the way to a pest free environment. Or the closest to it.

It only takes a member of staff to spill some liquid food or drop a piece of food that goes under a kitchen unit for insects to take advantage.

Admittingly not all pest infestations are caused by food and grime. Some common pest problems are caused by behavior and natural habitat. As an example, ladybirds like to overwinter in a crack or crevice. This may be in a window frame. It’s the pheromone that draws them there from previous years or previous ladybirds. As they wake up in the spring they head for the warmth and so end up inside rather than outside. It is the same with many other pests. Either way you can get further advice from speaking with a professional pest controller.

Housekeeping measures to keep out pests

No matter what the situation, good housekeeping is always highly recommended as it will always reduce the chances of inviting an unwanted visitor into the workplace. Not only that but good housekeeping should be the minimum in providing the staff a safe place of work. By carrying out the basics such as keeping a clean kitchen area, regularly hoovering and cleaning the floors will reduce the risk of infestation.

Activities such as emptying bins at the end of the day whether they are full or not is a good habit to get into. Whenever rubbish or the hoover gets emptied, it should be done in an outside bin. All rubbish should be stored in a bin with a lid outside away from the building.

This will stop rodents being attracted to the area.

What other measures can be introduced to reduce pests?

There are other measures that can be introduced to reduce pests in the office. Fitting an E|FK (electric fly killer) in the kitchen area will reduce flying insects. The tubes of the EFK emit a frequency of light that attracts flying insects such as flies and midges. Placement of these units is important to the successfulness to impact the environment. They should not compete with natural daylight. The tubes must be changed every 12 months to maintain the frequency level of the light.

Proofing is another activity that can be completed to reduce pests in the office. Time should be spent walking round the outside of the building to identify any possible routes of entry to stop potential rodent activity inside the building. Look for any possible holes, gaps, or poor fitting fixtures such as doors. A typical example of the type of thing you are looking for would be a broken air block. The simple fix for this type of route would be to fit a vent cover. You do need to be diligent when carrying this out otherwise you will miss something.

Wires and cables going into the building are another area of concern. Unfortunately, fitters, builders and other trades people don’t see the implications when fitting new wiring. Often the holes are made far too big as it’s easier for them to do their job. The holes are left exposed so rodents can get in, using the cable as a ladder to get in.

How effective is an annual pest control Contract?

An annual service agreement for pest control is a very proactive approach to reducing pests in the office. It will involve having monitoring baits inside safe lockable boxes in known high risk areas. Kitchens, bin areas, server rooms, etc. are all examples of high-risk areas. A survey will detect the proposed areas for these monitors prior to setting up the contract. Also attached to the monitoring stations are insect monitors with an allure on them. This will attract insects and assist early recognition of an outbreak.

A regular visit from a pest control company will take place on an agreed frequency of visit. Monthly or 6 weekly is the normal duration. A pest technician will visit and check all bait and insect monitors for signs of activity. If nothing present, the boxes will be serviced and then a report made out. As part of the contract, a folder will be produced. This holds all relevant paperwork such as health and safety information and monitoring records. This is a requirement by law and the pest control companies’ responsibility to ensure it’s maintained and kept up to date. It does stay on the premises for any inspecting authority to check if required.