Pests like cockroaches and rodents know no boundaries. They’ll make a home in your workplace if you don’t take steps to repel pesky pest invasions.
They say cockroaches could survive a nuclear holocaust, so is it any surprise that they sometimes defy our best efforts to keep them out of the workplace?
Fruit flies, fungus, gnats, ants, spiders, rodents, and other pests—even bed bugs—can periodically find their way in as well.
However, the situation goes from bad to worse when employees take matters into their own hands, bringing in cans of insect-killing chemicals. Pesticides are toxic and should not be brought into the workplace or used without your knowledge and approval.
Instead of a vigilante approach to pest control, encourage employees to work with you to prevent and control pest invasions with these nontoxic strategies, adapted from a California Department of Pesticide Regulation fact sheet. (Find the full fact sheet at http://bit.ly/y0oKI2.
Whatever safety meeting you need, chances are you’ll find it prewritten and ready to use in BLR’s Safety Meetings Library on CD. Try it at no cost or risk. Here’s how.
Prevent Invasions
All employees can help make the workplace less attractive to pests if they will:
- Be fruitless. Many pests are attracted to fruit. Workers should not leave fruit in or on their workstations overnight. Rather, they should take it home or store it in the refrigerator.
- Put a lid on it. Nonperishable or dry snacks should be kept in sealed containers, not in plastic bags.
- Do the dishes. Dishes and utensils soiled by food attract pests. Dishes should be washed after each meal break or shift.
- Clear the decks. Dirty surfaces also attract pests. Counters should be wiped down at the end of lunch or a shift.
- Bag it. Food wastes should be disposed of in garbage cans that have plastic liners. These cans should be emptied each night.
- Pick it up. Clutter provides hiding and nesting places for pests, including rodents. Employees should keep their work areas clutter-free and store items off the floor.
- Learn good plant care. Workplace plants are beneficial unless they become infested with gnats. To prevent this, do not overwater plants. Plants infested with gnats should be removed from the workplace.
We challenge you to NOT find a safety meeting you need, already prewritten, in BLR’s Safety Meetings Library. Take up our challenge at no cost or risk. Get the details.
Dealing with Pest Problems
Rather than treating test problems on their own, employees should let their supervisor or building manager know about a pest or sanitation issue as soon as it is discovered.
- Workers should report spills, plumbing leaks, or areas that need cleaning.
- When reporting a pest problem, employees should make a note of the evidence they’ve seen, including droppings, damage by the pest, or the pest itself, as well as where and when they made these observations. The more information employees can provide, the more effectively a pest problem can be dealt with.