For Rodent Awareness Week, business owners and facility managers are reminded to maintain diligence in pest prevention measures that protect the businesses and buildings from the negative impacts of rodent incursions and infestations.
Pest Prevention Tips for Rodent Awareness Week
Rodent infestations can cause severe financial damage to a business's built environment and its public reputation and ability to continue operations without costly repairs and reparations.
According to AutomaticTrap.com, a rat or mouse infestation could cost a business up to $25K in damages and repair costs, including:
- Up to $15K in fire damage without insurance.
- More than $1K in carpenter services.
- $750 in exterminator fees.
- More than $2K in foundation repair costs.
- Anywhere from $500 to $2000 in roof and attic repair expenses, and;
- Up to $3500 in HVAC repair fees.
Additionally, depending on the type of business, rodent infestations could constitute a violation of the State Health Code, resulting in fines, closures, and a loss of prestige in the public eye.
Finally, in addition to the financial costs of restitution, removal, and repair, rodent infestations can lead to unseen long-term costs in both health issues and declines in occupant productivity due to illness resulting from the numerous diseases associated with rodent infestations.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rodents directly transmit:
- Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome
- Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome
- Lassa Fever
- Leptospirosis
- Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis (LCM)
- Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever
- Plague
- Rat-Bite Fever
- Salmonellosis
- South American Arenaviruses (Argentine hemorrhagic fever, Bolivian hemorrhagic fever, Sabiá-associated hemorrhagic fever, Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever), and;
- Tularemia
Source:
And indirectly transmit:
- Babesiosis
- Colorado Tick Fever
- Cutaneous Leishmaniasis
- Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis
- La Crosse Encephalitis
- Lyme Disease
- Murine Typhus
- Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever
- Powassan Virus
- Scrub Typhus
- Rickettsialpox
- Relapsing Fever
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
- Sylvatic Typhus
- West Nile Virus
Source:
Five Pest Prevention Tips For Facilities
Preventing pest and rodent infestations and incursions can be accomplished by:
- Performing regular inspections - This can be accomplished through a combination of routine pest control expert inspections and by coordinating with your grounds, facilities maintenance, and custodial staff, who often notice the signs of infestations early on.
- Removing potential food sources - Regular garbage removal combined with routine cleaning around sealed external dumpsters and other bins will eliminate one of the major attractors (food) for pests and rodents.
- Eliminate areas where rodents can hide - This process requires a long-term commitment to clutter removal and routine cleaning services to eliminate common harborages for pests and rodents.
- Eliminate points of entry - Professional pest control technicians and grounds personnel can identify likely breach points into the building and perform repairs that will prevent rodents from easily entering your facility.
- Integrate pest control and management - Integrating pest control and management into your established facilities maintenance plan through third-party outsourcing or internal training will provide your organization with the skills and expertise necessary to control, prevent, and eliminate pest incursions before they result in costly infestations.
References & Resources
Takeaway
Investments in proactive or integrated pest and rodent prevention and control measures, especially in California, where many common rodenticides have been banned, are a cost-effective alternative to expensive repairs, potential fines, the loss of occupant productivity due to illness, and the loss of business due to public revulsion.
Teaming up with your custodial provider and pest control service technicians will help identify potential entry points and likely incursions or signs of infestations.
Additionally, routine cleaning services, clutter cleanup, and garbage removal are critical for denying rodents harborage and food.
Outsourcing is a proven method for quickly onboarding highly in-demand custodial and facilities maintenance services at a fraction of the cost of managing a similar service in-house.
If you would like more information regarding the effectiveness of high-performance infection prevention and control measures, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation onsite assessment of your facility's custodial needs, contact us today for a free quote!
In Bakersfield, CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Fresno, CA, call (559) 206-1059
In Valencia CA, or Santa Clarita CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Palmdale, CA or Lancaster, CA, call (661) 371-4756
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