Rodent Control In Specialized Facilities

Raising concerns about health, safety and the environment are causing pest control operators to rethink the way they control rodents in "specialized" facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, restaurants and food processing plants.

For years, PCOs relied on rodenticides to control mice and rats. Today, many specialized customers, especially those that manufacture, process or serve food, frown upon the use of rodenticides. In some facilities, such as food and drug processing plants, they are forbidden.

That’s why PCOs should establish Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs with these accounts, combining non-poisonous and least-toxic methods of pest control with more traditional chemical approaches. Success depends on how well PCOs and specialized customers practice IPM.

Now is a good time for PCOs to establish such programs: fall is the time of the largest rodent invasion; in northern climates, mice and rats will soon be forced indoors in search of food and shelter.

EDUCATION IS KEY. Before embarking on an IPM program, PCOs need a thorough understanding of rodent biology and behavior. They should take time to educate specialized customers in this regard.

It’s easy to underestimate the dangers rodents pose and the damage they can cause in an account. These inquisitive creatures carry parasites, transmit disease and contaminate food, drugs and medical supplies with their aggressive behavior.

Compared to other commercial and residential buildings, it’s often easier for rodents to penetrate specialized facilities because of their multiple entry points and high traffic levels. Once inside, rodents may have a field day with an abundant supply of food and water, and adequate nesting sites.

And once they begin breeding, watch out. A female Norway or roof rat raises 30 to 40 young annually, while a female mouse yields 40 to 50 animals a year.

It’s little wonder that specialized customers become anxious and alarmed when they see rodents in their facilities. They want the varmints removed immediately, without disturbing their employees and customers, and without hampering production or service.

A ‘PEOPLE’ BUSINESS. Because rodent control in specialized facilities is a "people" business, PCOs should take extra precautions to ensure the health and safety of individuals. Let’s say a rodent infiltrates a pharmaceutical plant. This can cost the plant thousands of dollars in damaged products, and can endanger employees because of the ability of rodents to transit disease.

John Chapman ,manager of technical services at Terminix International, Memphis, Tenn., suggests several ways PCOs can enhance their business relationship with specialized customers.

First, know the daily operations of the health facility, restaurant or pharmaceutical plant. What are its normal working hours? When does the facility have the highest volume of traffic? When and where are deliveries and shipments made? What is the flow of raw materials through the facility? Answers to these questions can help PCOs spot potential problems and deal with them effectively.

Second, solicit the customer’s cooperation in controlling rodents. Take time to educate the customer about rodent biology and habits, and after you’ve established an IPM program, make sure the customer follows through on your recommendations.

Third, strive for clear, thorough communications. Maintain contact with the customer, visit the facility regularly, perform periodic inspections and provide detailed reports of rodent activity, control methods and results.

Many PCOs believe communication and cooperation are the linchpins of a successful IPM program. PCOs should willingly discuss problems with specialized customers, listen to their complaints and respect their viewpoints.

It’s also important for PCOs to price jobs accordingly, says Kevin O’Connor, president of Eliminex Pest control, Long Island, N.Y., which services some 100 specialized accounts.

The cost of controlling rodents will vary depending on the customer, facility size, severity of the rodent problem and other factors. Because of the acute problem a rodent infestation presents, and the restrictions on the use of rodenticides, it generally costs more to maintain a rodent-free specialized facility than a commercial or residential building.

Food processing plants and restaurants offer PCOs the greatest rodent-control challenge. Rodents, of course, need food and water to survive, reproduce and generally annoy people. It’s a paradox that these facilities, particularly restaurants, are least willing to cooperate with PCOs.

"Restaurants are the most demanding because of staff turnover. This really hurts the PCOs relationship with the restaurant," says Jerry O’Hara, sales manager at Anderson Pest Control, Chicago, Ill. "Unfortunately, for many restaurant owners customer service is more important than kitchen cleanup."

PCOs can counteract resistance from specialized customers by stressing the importance of sanitation and maintenance. In fact, a successful IPM program should address these two areas as well as rodent-control methods and follow-up procedures.

KEEP IT CLEAN. An IPM program is founded on a complete sanitation program. PCOs can help by educating specialized customers about proper sanitation methods. For example, customers should eliminate all sources of food and water accessible to rodents. Rats need water daily; mice will obtain it through food and will drink free-standing water, if available. It’s also important that customers clean up food and water messes and promptly dispose of food waste in covered dumpsters outside their facilities.

In addition, waste or refuse areas should be kept clean and well maintained, with all debris placed in tightly covered dumpsters. Storage areas - basements, walk-in boxes, refrigerators and freezers - should also be checked for adequate storage and storage temperatures.

"Food storage is absolutely critical, particularly in food facilities," says Terminix’s Chapman. "non-refrigerated items should be placed on a metal rack, at least 1 foot off the floor and 1-1/2 feet away from the walls."

Outdoor sanitation can also reduce rodent problems. Trash receptacles, dumpsters and compacters should be tightly sealed and emptied regularly. They also should be leak-free, mounted on a concrete slab and elevated several inches above the slab. Customers should place trash units as far away from the facility as possible, preferably 100 feet or more from the loading dock or other entry points. Doing so will hinder the accessibility of rodents to the facility.

While educating customers about sanitation methods is important, PCOs can also play the role of sanitation inspector. This can be helpful in food-service facilities, which must meet government regulations for food production and distribution.

APCO should tour the facility and evaluate the effectiveness of an IPM program. Because the PCO can’t observe the facility around the clock, the customer must provide answers to some specific questions. Namely, where and when were the rodents seen or caught? Are there any food and harborage areas? What types of control methods are being used? Does the customer have documented evidence of success rates?

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS. Proper maintenance, like sanitation, must be performed inside and outside the health facility, restaurant or pharmaceutical plant. Again, PCOs must educate specialized customers about the biology and behavior of rodents.

PCOs also need to point out possible problem areas. Inside their facilities, customers should cut access to pipes and air vents by rodents. Walls, ceilings, floors, and building foundations should also be kept in good condition.

Because it’s easier to control rodents outside than inside, outdoor maintenance is especially critical. Advise customers to mow the grass frequently, eliminate weeds and trim trees, plants and other vegetation. Controlling roof rats, for example, requires heavy pruning of ivy, palm trees and berry thickets. It may even be necessary to cut down certain trees or bushes.

Doors, windows, screens, ventilation systems and other openings should also be rodent-proofed. Heavy-duty materials such as sheet metal, iron grills, hardware cloth and cement are recommended. All remaining openings shouldn’t exceed ¼ inch.

Doors can be safeguarded by using a cuff and channel assembly. A channel is a thin piece of metal that runs along the bottom of a door. It is secured by two cuffs (small brackets) placed on the door’s bottom corners.

A rodent baiting program may be employed around the exterior of the facility using tamper-resistant bait stations. These bait stations must be secured to the building or ground to protect them from being knocked over or taken. Some facilities, however, won’t even allow rodenticides on the exterior of their buildings.

THINK SAFETY FIRST. When considering rodent control methods inside specialized facilities, PCOs must protect the health and safety of employees and their customers, as well as safeguard the environment. For these reasons, using rodenticides isn’t recommended.

The Federal government has strict regulations governing rodenticides. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) forbids their use in meat and poultry processing plants, while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets stringent guidelines for their use in other specialized accounts.

Federal regulations may get even tougher if Congress revises the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). An EPA-proposed bill would set severe guidelines for PCO certification and training, pesticide containers and disposal, and worker safety.

That’s why rodenticides should be used only in controlled situations. In health facilities and pharmaceutical plants, rodenticides are allowed in non-sensitive areas, such as mechanical rooms, and outside the facilities. But as a rule, these specialized customers prefer non-poisonous methods, says PCO Jerry O’Hara.

Non-poisonous solutions include mechanical traps and glue boards. Unlike rodenticides, non-poisonous methods prevent rats and mice from dying in inaccessible areas, such as between walls and in shallow ceiling voids.

Snap traps are ideal for rats and mice, while multiple-catch traps work for mice only. While both devices are effective, they should be kept out of public access and view to minimize chances of tampering or injury.

The latest in snap-trap technology is the expanded-trigger or professional trap, whose large trigger provides considerable leverage, so less force is required to set off the trap. A good rule is to set clusters of traps for rats at 20-foot intervals, and for mice at 10-foot intervals.

Expanded-trigger traps outperform conventional snap traps, according to Purdue University researchers. Expanded-trigger traps have a higher success rate (50 percent, compared to 35 percent for conventional models) and are less likely to have bait stolen from them ( 1percent, compared to 14 percent).

For best results, the researchers recommend deploying a large number of traps, changing trap locations periodically and using different types of bait, such as peanut butter, bacon, hot dogs, raisins or popcorn.

Multiple-catch, or automatic, traps can capture up to 30 mice at one time. They are an excellent choice in specialized facilities, especially where large mouse populations are involved and where traps can’t be inspected daily. However, traps should be checked regularly, and captured rodents disposed of immediately, to prevent odors and insect problems from developing. Also be certain of use and date the service record labels each time the traps are checked.

Correct placement is also key with multiple-catch traps. Set them in rodent runways and on both sides of building entranceways, 6 to 8 feet apart, where mouse infestations are large, and 20 to 40 feet apart for a program that monitors and controls rodent activity.

ANOTHER NON-TOXIC SOLUTION. Eliminex’s O’Connor prefers glue boards over mechanical traps.

Glue boards are non-poisonous, safe and easily disposable and offer a lower first cost than mechanical traps. They’re also effective because they’re prebaited with an attractant scent, usually peanut butter or banana.

Flat glue boards can be folded and set against a wall in an L-shape, providing two sticky catch surfaces. Tray-type glue boards are simply placed along the wall. The newest glue boards can be folded in a tent configuration, providing a tunnel for a rodent to enter and hiding a captured animal from human sight and touch.

Glue boards are most effective when placed in runways between harborage and feeding areas. Place them along perimeter walls, under pallets and counters. A good rule is to space glue boards at 10-foot intervals for mice and 20-foot intervals for rats. A mistake that many PCOs make is not using enough glue boards for each rodent infestation. Use the correct number of traps, and you’ll solve your problems sooner.

FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURES. Proper sanitation, maintenance and effective rodent-control methods can prevent rodent invasions in specialized facilities, but once a particular problem is solved, it can recur just as easily.

That’s why PCOs must remind customers that the adage "out of sight, out of mind" doesn’t always apply. Take time to educate them about sanitation, maintenance and control - before mice and rats become a serious problem.

PCOs should also periodically review a customer’s rodent control program. The best way to serve specialized accounts is to provide a pest-free environment and sufficiently document rodent control programs for Federal, state and local inspectors.

CONCLUSION. Controlling rodents in specialized facilities isn’t easy, but it can be less complex if PCOs understand control methods, sanitation, maintenance and follow-up procedures. Customers, too, must understand these issues and cooperate with PCOs to achieve the desired results.

As the prime rodent season approaches more and more PCOs will look to non-poisonous, least-toxic methods of controlling rodents in hospitals, nursing homes, restaurants, food processing plants and other specialized facilities. These solutions are good for public safety, the environment, and most of all, the customer.

 

Michael M. Goldstein is manager or Professional Pest Control Products at Woodstream, Lititz, Pa.