Business owners and facilities managers carry the hefty responsibility of the health and safety of customers and staff. A pest control management program is essential to avoid the risk of infestations, fines, or business disruption.
Many don’t realise that commercial pest control requires ongoing and systematic planning, and not a once-off spray and pray solution.
Do you have a commercial pest control plan in place for your company?
A good pest control company will have a three-phase strategy that will keep you on the right side of the law, and pest free.
Commercial Pest Control Plan
Due to the nature of the pest control industry, it is necessary to hire professionals who are trained and certified to use certain materials and products. (Don’t be afraid to ask for details of the company’s certifications before employing their services.)
Find out how long they have been operating and whether they will tailor a contract for your specific needs. Ask if they offer a guarantee on the work done, and check their stance on the use of chemicals.
Thereafter, here’s what they should be offering.
Inspection
Before taking on a project, your pest control company will carry out an inspection of the premises. This will include:
- Both the interior and exterior of the building(s) and the surrounding areas. This will include noting elements such as the state of facades, pipes, windows, doors, screens and waste areas.
- The identification of pests and their local habitats.
- Analysis of the activity of pests and potential issues.
- Recommendations for removal and prevention of pests.
- Recommendations for ongoing pest prevention.
Treatment
Obviously, the treatment program will depend on the pest problem, but you can reasonably expect:
- Installation of screens over any building openings to prevent access to the building.
- Recommendations on building maintenance or fixes that will prevent or deter pests.
- Removal or cutting back of trees and shrubs that overhang the property.
- Treatment and management of waste areas ensuring that these are kept the required distance from the building.
- Removal of existing pests using effective and humane methods, paying particular attention to eating or food preparation areas, storage areas, or sensitive mechanical or electrical areas.
- Removal of nests or other sites that pests may return to.
- Creating an inhospitable environment for internal or external nesting areas.
- Make use of the least toxic pesticides available and only in targeted areas where it can’t affect local wildlife.
- Careful attention to the safe removal and relocation of protected wildlife.
Monitoring
As mentioned at the outset, pest control is never a once-off treatment. Therefore, your pest control company should offer additional information such as:
- Evaluation of the efficacy of the last treatment.
- Recommendations for modifications to treatments or additional requirements.
- Preventative methods given to occupants that affect the activity of the pests. This may include recommendations on how to best manage waste in kitchens, break rooms, and community areas.
- Educating the relevant staff on what to look for and any interim treatments that can be handled in-house.
Value-Adds
You may want much of work performed by the pest control company to be done out of hours, which makes sense. You may also need additional services such as a licenced waste carrier to remove commercial waste from your premises. It’s a well-known fact that undisturbed waste in the form of old furniture, garden, garage or shop rubbish makes a wonderful home for many pests. However, this needs to be handled by a company that will dispose of it legally and in an environmentally friendly manner.
Likewise, damaged or contaminated insulation must be removed and disposed of with care by people who know what they’re doing.
Proactive Commercial Pest Control in Reading
The sad fact is that a commercial property has all the ingredients necessary that make for a comfortable living area for many pests: A warm space to sleep, food, water, and a hundred places to hide.
Therefore, you have an ongoing battle against these bugs to keep them from infesting your building. Damage caused by pests can be costly, fines can be heavy, and the health and safety of the occupants can quickly become compromised.
If you need a reliable and professional company to manage your pest control plan, please call Warren and his experienced team on 07972 189648.