Pest Control For Healthcare
Pest Control For Healthcare
The Challenge:
With multiple entry points and complex building structure, a healthcare facility mainly faces problems due to pest entering from its immediate surroundings. The difficulty here is managing the constant influx of goods and people into the facility.
How Pests Enter Healthcare Facilities:
From water leakages that would attract various types of pests, to poor management of entry points, to poor landscaping management that will enable pests to enter the building through the upper levels. These are all examples of the several factors that would contribute to pest infestation within a healthcare facility.
The Need For Educational Programs For Staffs
Because of the complexity of this project, it would require the backing of the decision maker and facility in charge to ensure that systems and programs are carried out and followed through. Educational programs are essential to ensure that employees play their part in pest prevention, and pest reporting.
Our Healthcare Pest Control Methodology
Identifying Entry Points
Because these facilities would experience pest infiltration, the facility management must work hand in hand through implementing exclusion steps to prevent pests from entering the building. Entry points should be closed at all times, and only opened when a visitor enters. Windows should also be screened and closed off when necessary.
Food deliveries are another easy way for pests to enter the facility. Thus, it is essential that protocols are in placed to manage food flow. It is ideal for staffs to inspect all food deliveries and look out for signs of pests, such as: damaged packaging, actual sightings, droppings, etc. In the case of pest sightings, to proceed to discard the damaged food appropriately.
Integrated pest management
- Pest Identification
- Premise Identification
- Pest Treatment
- Facilities Management (e.g. Sealing Entry Points, etc.)
- Employing Pest Control Products If Applicable
- Developing Educational Programs For Staffs
- Working With Facilities Professionals To Develop Print Materials For Staffs
- Developing Long Term Strategies For Pest Management
Educational Programs & Implementation
A highly qualified pest control team will work with the key in charge to develop an integrated pest management (ipm) program to ensure that there are pest control systems in placed to prevent and handle actual sightings of pests.
Treatment options in ipm would include: sealing cracks, removing water sources, implementing pest control treatments and products accordingly.
Staffs should also be trained to identify and recognise the different types of pests in healthcare facilities, even to the simplest signs of pest infestation: such as sightings of flies in garbage areas, rat droppings, cockroaches roaming around, etc. Staffs should be educated of certain basic pest behaviour and signs.
Facility professionals should proceed to develop educational print materials and have them placed in common areas so that they are easily accessed. Educational seminars should also be held once or twice a year to reinforce the importance of their role in facility maintenance.
Tips For Healthcare Professionals
A successful pest management system involves every level of healthcare workers to play their part. Simple habits and actions such as: trash disposal, to maintaining cleanliness should not be taken lightly. There are the two main ways that healthcare professionals can play their part:
Eliminate Food Sources & Monitoring
- Remove sources of moisture in areas such as: plumbing areas, leaking pipes, clogged drains
- Always keep food sealed and stored well
- Clean areas where there is a high volume of people such as: kitchens, public eating areas
- Dispose trash and waste regularly and appropriately, and keep dumpsters closed
- Inspect food delivery boxes when necessary
- Keep storage places dry and ventilated
Regular Check-ins & Repairs
- Ensure that entry points are sealed well
- Remind facility staffs to repair any damaged entry points or decaying wood furnishings
- Sound out to facility staffs upon sighting of pests or signs of pests infestation (e.g. rat droppings)
- Sound out to staff when vegetation is too close to the building (should be kept at least two feet away)
- Check in on kitchen drain clogs and ensure that refrigerators are closed tightly
- Use appropriate pest solutions on susceptible areas (e.g. traps, insecticides, etc.)
Common Pests Found In Healthcare Facilities
Cockroaches
- Cockroaches mainly lurk when there are organic waste (garbage) present, or if there are food left out in the open for too long. They can carry around diseases and can potentially contaminate pharmaceutical equipment
Rodents
- Rats can cause structural damages and can chew on furniture and electrical wiring, which increases the risk of a fire outbreak. They primarily enter for food, water, and shelter
Flies and Ants
- They are often found in garbage areas and food areas. At times, they can be found in the surgical suites, autopsy rooms, and even laundry rooms. They are either brought into the facility or they enter through the entry points in search for food and water
Bedbugs
- Bedbugs infestation mainly happen due to it being carried into the facility through the patients’ belongings, healthcare products, etc. They are often found in patient bed rooms, furniture, and even laundry areas
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Common Pests That We Handle In Commercial Pest Control
Ants Control
Our ants control treatments include: residual spraying, and gel baiting – which specifically target the ant species based on their preferred food options, it aims to target the breeding source directly
Bed Bugs Control
Our treatment methods include: bed bugs residual spraying, followed by non-chemical heat treatment – ensuring that bed bugs are eradicated even in the developmental stages
Cockroaches Control
We start off with spraying a targeted treatment to kill cockroaches on sight, followed by gel baiting to bring out those in hiding
Mosquitos Control
We provide larviciding and fogging – penetrating hard to reach areas, followed by a zone treatment, which acts as a physical barrier to deter any new ones from entering the premise
Rat & Rodent Control
Our solutions include: mechanical proofing and sealing, and implementing traps and proceeding with proper rat disposal
Termites Control
First step includes termite proofing, to pre-construction, to post construction treatment
Flies Control
Our insect light traps aim at capturing flies hygienically, making this technique safe and effective
Booklice Control
We employ a super heated stream application with appropriate spraying to target booklice and their eggs
