IMPACT OF PEST INFESTATIONS IN WAREHOUSES

Proper warehouse pest control procedures play a significant role in ensuring the smooth function of a supply chain in any organization. To better understand the significance of pest management you need to acquaint yourself with proper procedures and specialized treatment options.

Improper pest control procedures make stored products within the facility more vulnerable to falling victim to pest infestation. Pest problems can have the following negative impacts on your warehouse:

1. Unstable Structure

Termites are known to inhabit and feed off wooden materials. If your warehouse is majorly used to store building materials or uses wooden pallets, then it is extremely vulnerable to termites dwelling within the wooden materials. A termite infestation can weaken or severely damage the infrastructure of a building. It also degrades the raw materials, that are stored within the warehouse. An unstable infrastructure can lead to the building collapsing and damaging all the goods that are stored within it.

2. Diseases

Pests are known to be carriers of some of the most dangerous diseases that could make your employees sick. Rats, mice and mosquitoes are some prime examples of these disease-carrying pests. Mosquitoes and rats are known to be the carriers of viruses that cause malaria and dengue which can prove life-threatening if not treated with appropriate medications and treatment. Proper management of these pests will boost employee morale and reduce the risk of health issues among your crew.

3. Damaged Goods

If your organization makes revenue by selling goods to third parties, then a pest infestation can have severe effects on your business as a whole. Pests can damage the goods stored within your supply chain, which can make them ineligible for further sale.

4. Infected Assets

If you use your warehouse to mostly store edible products, then a pest infestation can leave your stored goods basically worthless. Infected food products can potentially carry harmful diseases which makes them entirely inedible. Food products that have been contaminated with pests cannot be repurposed or processed for their by-products, making them even more unappealing.

5. Damage to reputation

If a warehouse is facing the problem of a pest infestation, it can harm the reputation of the warehouse managers. Word travels fast and it won't be long until it travels to other customers and employees. No customer wants to receive a product that is infested with pests. Stored product pests can create a negative opinion about your warehouse in the public eye, which can even lead to the closure of your business. So, make sure that you stay ahead of any potential pest infestation at your warehouse.

6. Undesirable working environment

Pests in any warehouse can lower the morale of the employees as it creates an undesirable work environment. It can be unpleasant working at a place where rodents, cockroaches, flies, and birds are constantly hindering operations. A safe and clean workspace is the foundation for happy employees that produce quality work. In a workplace bustling with pests, your employees can not work with efficiency, and it can also affect their overall health and morale.

Warehouse Pest Infestation Management Procedures

Pest control can be a challenging task in warehouses. Here are the ways through which we help remove the pests from your warehouse facility, and mitigate the risks pest problems can cause.

Map Out Areas In The Warehouse Where Pests Are Active

While identifying the problem of pest infestation at your warehouse, we need to draft a summary of the present situation. This should include a detailed map indicating the areas of concern and a full description of the pests that are causing you problems. While identifying the common pests in your warehouse, we don't just look for the pests on your premises but require a detailed history of the problem.

It's common practice to look at any neighboring properties that might be attracting pests to your warehouse as well. If the location of your warehouse is near other facilities with problems the pests will likely migrate and breed at your facility also. We perform a complete site mapping to identify any such area that can lead to pest infestations in the future. Remember our goal here should not be to simply eradicate the present problem but to avoid facing any such problem in the future.

CONTACT A PROFESSIONAL WAREHOUSE PEST CONTROL TEAM

Once a problem is identified, it's time to let the professionals start the process of removing any pests. If you are looking for the latest pest prevention and control methods, then you should always hire a professional. While you can also implement an in-house solution if the problem has not spread on a massive scale, you should always consult the team at Bug Busters to determine the best course of action.

Your employees can also play an important role in the warehouse operation. They should know how to identify pests and understand the importance of preventing them. The following steps are the standard when implementing pest control for any warehouse:

Develop and Action plan

We create an actionable plan to eradicate the pests from your warehouse. We will either use trapping, poison or recommend other effective methods. We also need to document the time when you'll implement pest control services in the action plan so that any other routine maintenance activities are not conflicting with the program.

Measure the effects

At this stage of the pest control procedure, we need to outline the effects of the pest control procedure on your business and products. We also need to state the effect of the procedure you have selected to eradicate pests on the environment.

Quarantine zone

This step demands you to seal the areas where the pest control process will take place. If we have chosen the trapping treatment process to eradicate the pests, we must make sure that it doesn't occur in heavy human areas.

Safety confirmation

Once the procedure ends, you will need to inform workers that the area is safe for operation.

Record and report

The most important step of pest control for the Warehousing Industry is to report and record the entire warehouse pest management process. It's important to monitor the pest control process because of these reasons:

• To monitor the efficiency and safety of your pest control effort
• To get an insight into the entire procedure being carried out, in the correct way
• To report to any concerned bodies that you have taken care of all the regulatory legislation while this procedure was carried out.
• It can also serve as evidence for third-party auditing.

These steps will help you with your pest control problems and keep your warehouse pest free preventing any serious damage to your operation.

KEY PREVENTIVE MEASURES

• Your warehouse should be designed in a way that ensures ventilation and air circulation in order to reduce the temperature of your warehouse and prevent moisture from building up.
• There should be an adequate number of water faucets that facilitate easy access to water.
• Use shelves or pallets so that the floor can be easily hosed down.
• Locate drains to get rid of any water blockage issues.
• Maintain healthy sanitary practices.
• Do not consume or store food in your warehouse if possible.
• Throw trash in appropriate receptacles that facilitate proper disposal inside the warehouse.
• Empty shelves and clean floors daily.
• Dust all the stored cartons on a regular basis.
• Ensure that windows and doors are sealed and close properly.
• Keep your warehouse completely dry, as moisture invites the penetration of pests.

HOW TO PREVENT PESTS FROM ENTERING YOUR WAREHOUSE

• Seal any holes or cracks that can allow pests to enter your warehouse. We may also recommend the use of a galvanized net, cement, or steel wool as a screening material. It's easy for the rodents to enter through even tiny crevices. So, it's important to seal all holes and crevices.
• Always keep the windows and doors closed when they're not in use.
• You can place a metal roof flashing up to the height of twelve inches from the base of the building. It acts as a good rodent barrier.
• It's important to treat the wood frame facilities every two years with water sealing.
• Dust talcum powder near any points that seem to allow access to pests.
• Conduct a visual inspection monthly to check the penetration of pests in flooring, walls, shelves, and ceilings.
• Inspect both the internal and external perimeters of your warehouse monthly to detect the presence of rodents, insects, and other pests.

These effective and controlled steps will help you fight the existing pest problem and will also maintain control of them in the future. Follow these steps and you will significantly decrease the risk of pest infestations that cause harm to your facility or business.

CALL IN THE BEST WAREHOUSE PEST CONTROL TEAM IN VIRGINIA

If your warehouse pest control problem is too large to handle on your own, Bug Busters' warehouse pest control services team can help. There is no job too big or too small for us. Contact us today for a consultation and learn more about how we can help you protect your warehouse from these unwanted guests.