1. Use Teamwork and Awareness to Minimize Pests
1B: Pest Management
Use Teamwork and Awareness to Minimize Pests

2. Cleaning to minimize pests
Cleaning and sanitation are the first line of defense in controlling pest infestations
All pests look for food, water and a home
Custodians spend more time observing facility conditions than others
Reporting our observations are key to helping minimize infestations
The work custodians perform are important in combatting pest infestations
24/7 pests are looking for places to live in buildings. They want food, water and a comfortable place to live
Always be on the lookout for signs of pests
Rat and mouse droppings (always use health protective protocols when cleaning up)
Ants send individual “scouts” to find habitat. When you see individual ants, clean the area with surface cleaner to remove their trail
Rats often rub their fur repeatedly in certain areas
Pests will always look for and make their homes in places with accessible food, water and less disturbed areas such as inside cabinets. If you see conditions such as water leaks, improperly stored food or excessive clutter, report them to your supervisor
Immediately report conditions to your supervisor that allow pests easy entry, such as gaps around wall plugs, below doors. An adult rat can enter through a hole the size of a quarter

3. Signs of pests
Intent:

4. Signs of pests

5. Signs of pests

6. Where pests live

7. Where pests live

8. Cluttered cabinets create habitat for many pests
Where pests live
Cluttered cabinets create habitat for many pests

9. How pests get in
Ants come in through the small gaps around plugs

10. How pests get in
Pests can enter a building under doors without sweeps

11. Report your observations

12. Test General sanitation and pest infestations are unrelated:
True
False
All pests look for:
Food
Water
Home
All the above