Prevention Or Infestation? How Early Planning For Summer Pests Reduces Cost And Disruption
Summer may still feel some way off to some, but as facilities managers are only too aware, it will arrive all too quickly when it comes to pests. Changing seasons present specific challenges, one being the return of certain species of pests and insects.
With managers of offices and other real-estate getting used to having a full facility again following the Covid-19 lockdowns, Chris Turner, managing director of Rokill Pest Control, part of The Nurture Landscapes Group, explains why preparing early for the less welcome summer visitors will keep them away from the door.
The reopening of office parks and other facilities is a welcome step forward as the world starts to return to normal after the turbulence of the past couple of years. Naturally, most will have adapted to accommodate physical distancing and new worker expectations, but looking further into the calendar is important in order to keep these ‘new’ offices free from pests.
Following the easing of the first set of restrictions in the UK, the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) issued a guide for businesses to reopen safely. Whilst circumstances at the time were – and to an extent, still remain – unique to the individual business, the causes of infestation are cross-sector, namely food, water, and shelter. Taking these away, at source, is the first step to stopping a potential infestation in its tracks.
Most of the common summer pests, including flies, wasps and ants, are cold-blooded, meaning they are more active in warmer temperatures, the first signs of which can be evident as early as March. The cooler months are focused on finding shelter or suitable nesting locations, which include almost limitless numbers of hidden nooks and crannies around a building. Nocturnal pests, such as rats, also thrive in the darker nights of the year, and the fact they may be out of sight whilst they bed themselves down in wall cavities or under floorboards is no cause for being lulled into a false sense of security. Out of sight is not out of mind, for they will present problems if one doesn’t know what to look for.
Signs that pests are making themselves at home can be identified during a routine property inspection. The more difficult areas to access, such as guttering and within drainpipes, are also favourites. Heating also entices rodents to nest and breed within the fabric of the property itself, and the chances are other varieties are not far behind. These can attract other pest types that are also attracted by the warmth, such as cockroaches. Left unmanaged, small infestations of rodents can result in significant damage to wiring, cabling and the building structure which, in turn, ups the ante significantly when it comes to repair costs. Regular inspections can reduce risk of these infestations.
Nothing could be truer when it comes to controlling pests, particularly for facilities managers whose buildings and facilities are often as extensive as they are expensive.
Pests are unwitting experts in transmitting disease, such as E.coli. Although it is not fully understood yet whether Covid-19 is one of them, workers nonetheless have become increasingly mindful of how infection and disease are spread in the workplace, therefore safety precautions need to be in place, not least given employers’ liabilities and obligations to their workforce. In a worst case scenario, particularly around food manufacturing and hospitality facilities, businesses can face legal proceedings under the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949.
The window for laying down these foundations is not necessarily a small one, though. While prevention is best at the first sign of a potential infestation, knowing the lifestyles of certain animals is a useful tool in keeping them clear of the office. This assists with prioritising which pest control measures to implement at specific points of the year and how these steps will affect seasonal budgets.
Combining various sets of knowledge from numerous grounds teams (landscaping, gritting etc.) further informs the planning processes; observations made by these groups highlight specific areas of a site that are more susceptible to a certain type of pest and from this, managers have an opportunity to devise a plan for preventing pest numbers from rising beyond current control measures. The same plan can be taken further to map out when additional monitoring or reporting is required, thereby affording continuous protection throughout the year.
Identifying potential access points into buildings is critical to manage the risk of rodent activity. Holes into the building where pipework passes through can provide access into wall cavities and beyond. Mice will squeeze through gaps as small as 6mm; if a biro pen can fit into a gap underneath an external door or a hole in a wall, it should be proofed. Cardboard and other materials should also be stored off the floor where possible, particularly in areas with less footfall or activity, where rodents and insects are less likely to be disturbed.
Such is the nature of the UK’s weather, it can be challenging to keep up with the impacts it can pose. A changing climate affects behaviour patterns of certain animals, including pests, and consequently, prevention needs to be dynamic enough to keep up with the constant changes. In much the same way a calendar can be mapped out for general facilities management and maintenance, highlighting the likely pests that will be encountered according to expected weather.
Though the signs are that a return to ‘normal’ office working patterns may not be too far away, building owners have a duty of care to ensure that returning teams feel as safe and comfortable as possible, without the concern of contracting a preventable disease from a ‘pest’.
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