5 Tips for Better Pest Management

It was recently Rodent Awareness Week as declared by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), but it’s always a good time to remind facility managers of the dangers of what pests can do to institutional and commercial facilities.
To commemorate Rodent Awareness Week, the NPMA shared five tips for facility managers to help prevent infestation in their buildings.

• Perform regular inspections. The appearance of live or dead rodents are a sign of a bigger problem, as are droppings, gnaw marks, nests, urine strains, and tracks or rub marks. Packages should be checked for pests before entering the facility.
• Remove potential food sources. Rodents are attracted to food that enables them to survive, so managers should remove garbage from the equation. Garbage in and out of facilities should be cleaned up regularly. If food must be stored, make sure it is located in sealed containers.
• Eliminate potential rodent harborage areas. Rodents are drawn to stairwells, shelves, lockers, worktables and machinery, so it’s a good idea to avoid storing things in them for extended periods. Regular landscaping is also important to keep pests away, so avoid overgrowing lawns and other vegetation.
• Reduce possible entryways. Since rodents are small and difficult to completely prevent from entering buildings, managers should prevent access by ensuring any cracks or holes, screening vents and windows, or broken doors or windows are sealed. To close gaps in doors, sweeps should be installed.
• Work with a licensed pest control professional. Professionals can integrate a pest management plan that eliminates pests’ needs for food, water, and shelter and decrease the threat of pest-borne diseases affecting facilities.  

Dave Lubach is managing editor, facility group 

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