Bed bugs aren’t just a problem for homes and homeowners. Businesses are also at risk. In fact, any public facing institution where people work, visit or gather can experience a bed bug infestation. Offices, schools, retail shops and other workplaces can all be affected. Because bed bugs spread so easily, having a plan in place before an infestation can help your business save time and money while avoiding any unwanted disruptions.
A well-designed business bed bug plan should cover how your employees will recognize a problem, who should be notified, how inspections will be arranged, and what steps will be taken if bed bugs are confirmed. In short, this written policy should clearly state how your will respond to suspected bed bug activity.
Employee Training
Obviously, you shouldn’t expect your employees to become pest control experts. However, they should know what bed bugs look like and how to spot evidence of a potential infestation. Training can include pictures of adult bed bugs, nymphs and eggs as well as shed skins, fecal stains and other common signs.
Training should emphasize that employees should not attempt to dispose or treat a suspected infestation on their own. They are to report it according to company procedures outlined in your business’ bed bug plan.
Reporting Procedures
Reporting procedures should be made as simple as possible. Establish a dedicated contact person, department, or team for receiving employee reports. Include after-hours contact information if your business operates outside of normal office hours.
When a report is made it is important to document the details for future reference. These should include location, date, time, what was observed, and whether anyone else may have been exposed to the suspected areas.
Inspection Protocols
Your business’ plan should clearly identify the pest control service you will contact for inspections. Ideally, your relationship with a pest management company would be established before any emergency occurs.
Inspections should involve examining furniture, cracks and crevices, rest areas, employee belongings, and any other locations where bed bugs may hide. In some situations, specialized inspections methods such as canine detectors, may be appropriate.
The objective here is to determine if bed bugs are present, identify the extent of the problem, and devise appropriate action.
Response Procedures
Your plan should detail what staff should do while waiting for inspections to be completed. Depending on the situation, you may need to restrict access to certain areas of the workplace. You should also instruct employees not to move potentially infested furniture or clothing to different parts of the building. Doing so can easily spread bed bugs.
Employees should also understand that they are not to use over-the-counter pesticides throughout the workplace unless specifically directed by a qualified professional. Improper use of pesticides can create safety concerns and may make treatment more difficult.
Treatment Strategy
If bed bugs are confirmed, your plan should detail how treatments will be coordinated. There’s no single solution that works for every infestation or for every business. If you already have an ongoing relationship with a pest control team they’ll have recommendations on preferred treatment methods.
The treatment strategy will largely depend on your type of business, the affected areas, building construction, furnishings, occupants and the extent of the infestation itself.
Communication Guidelines
Communication is at the heart of every good bed bug plan. Employees, customers, vendors, and tenants will need information. However, you want to avoid unnecessary alarm.
Designate one person to handle communications. Their job will be to explain what has been confirmed, what actions are being taken, and what people should do if they notice more signs of bed bug activity. Protect privacy whenever possible and avoid identifying the employees who reported or were otherwise associated with the suspected infestation.
Prevention and Monitoring
An effective bed bug plan doesn’t stop at treatment. Regular monitoring can help detect new activity before it becomes a larger problem. Depending on your business, monitoring may include routine inspections of high-risk areas, the installation of bed bug monitors, employee awareness training, and periodic professional inspections.
Documentation and Follow-Up
It is important to keep records of reports, inspections, treatments, and any other corrective actions. Documentation can help you determine whether the problem has been resolved and can also help identify patters that may require additional prevention measures.
Follow-up inspections are particularly important because eliminating visible bed bugs does not necessarily mean every life stage has been eradicated.
A Review Process
Finally, you should make it a point to periodically review your existing bed bug plan. After any incident, evaluate what worked, what caused delays, and what can be improved.
A practical business bed bug plan should be easy for employees to understand and follow. It should also be simple for management to implement. A comprehensive bed bug business plan can help you respond quickly to any pest control emergency while reducing the chances that a small bed bug problem grows into a major disruption.
Published by Scott Palatnik
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