Rodents In The Workplace

A rodent infestation is risky business in any work environment. In addition to ruining reputations, rodents are known for spreading diseases, bacteria and viruses everywhere they go. Protect your workforce – and your customers – from these health risks by maintaining a clean facility and keeping an eye out for rodent activity, along with a proper rodent prevention and control program.

How Rodents Can Affect the Workplace

Rodent infestations on your property can risk the health and safety of employees and customers alike. As rodents travel around your commercial facility, they can cause the following damage: 

Rodents Can Cause Product Contamination

Rodents leave behind droppings, urine, fur and saliva as they travel through your business. So, just because a rodent doesn’t take a bite out of a product, that doesn’t mean it isn’t contaminated.  

Rodents Can Transmit Disease Causing Pathogens

Rodents are known to carry many diseases, including Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is fatal in about 36% of cases. Furthermore, if their droppings are not removed properly, they can release harmful airborne particles into the air.

Rodents Can Attract Ticks, Fleas and Mites

Ticks, fleas and mites are rodents’ partners in crime, and hitchhike on the backs of these furry pests.  

How to Properly Clean Up Rodent Droppings

Like tiny landmines, dried rodent droppings break apart on contact, becoming harmful airborne particles. So, before you rush in to brush away the evidence, make sure you follow these instructions: 

For relatively high build-up of droppings:

Have Proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

First things first, put on those rubber gloves and a face mask. If there are a lot of droppings, you may need a fitted respirator. 

Disinfect

Step 1: moisten and disinfect the droppings or affected surface  with a commercial disinfectant  spray or mixture of bleach and water (one part bleach to one part water), letting it soak for at least 5 minutes. 

Step 2: Using a broom and dustpan, sweep up the disinfected droppings, bag and dispose of them in the garbage bin.

Step 3: The surface can be cleaned further by repeated disinfectants and swiping again.

For one or two droppings (few), no need to wear PPE, using a tissue pick dropping/s and dispose, spray surface with disinfectant and swipe.

Call Orkin Canada for Commercial Rodent Pest Control

Keeping rodents at bay can be challenging without a proactive rodent pest control plan in place. Be sure to implement an effective facility maintenance schedule to remove any potential rodent attractors and prevent these persistent pests from invading your workplace. For more information on rodent behaviour and steps you can take to prevent this common pest, contact Orkin Canada or download this guide to preventing rodent health risks.