Believe it or not, the holidays are just around the corner – and it’s a common misconception that pests disappear during the colder months. To keep the holidays happy for everyone, it’s imperative to take action in your facility before problems turn you into the Grinch of your business supply chain. As the temperatures begin to drop, pests are more likely to start their search for warm places. And unfortunately, the large amount of activity in a logistics facility can mask pest problems as they begin to arrive.
Being part of the supply chain makes it essential to keep your facility pest-free, especially during the busiest time of the year. The overwhelming size of many facilities can make it difficult to seal all entry points against pests. Pest droppings, webbing, and skin casts can easily contaminate products, ultimately leading to a loss of goods and revenue in the long run. Potential consequences of an unmanaged pest infestation can include termination of contracts, customer complaints, delayed shipments, loss of customer trust, and the possibility of workers getting bitten.
Cleanliness and exclusion are the keys to preventing pests from entering and staying in your facility. From cleaning up spills in the breakroom to taking the trash out regularly, employees can do many small things to help maintain a healthy environment in your logistics facility.
- Locate entry points: Open doorways can give pests easy access to your facility. Remind employees never to prop them open and to close them immediately after arriving. Sealing up holes and cracks around windows and doors (even tiny ones) can also help.
- Store dry goods appropriately: Warehouses that handle dry foods, including birdseed, pet food, chocolate, baking supplies, dried fruit, and more, are especially susceptible to pests like beetles, ants, and moths. Make sure dry foods are stored on shelves in airtight containers. That includes crackers in the breakroom.
- Train employees to identify signs of pest activity: Pellet droppings, gnaw marks on products and walls, nests built from soft shredded materials, ant trails, flies, and more indicate that wildlife has entered your building. Create a plan for employees to follow if any of those signs are spotted.
- Monitor dumpsters around your facility: You don’t want pests to have access to any part of your facility, including the dumpster. Seal all trash containers to keep pests like ants, rodents, and cockroaches from taking their liberties with your garbage.
- Maintain landscaping: Even though plants aren’t growing, they can leave debris behind.Remove organic debris from the perimeter of your property to help prevent breeding grounds for pests that can ultimately make their way into your facility.
- Look for hot spots: Not only are pests looking for a roof over their heads, but they’re also attracted to the heat your facility offers, and finding their hiding spots is vital. Look underneath and behind equipment, storage areas, shelves, and the rooftop vents.
It’s the busiest time of the year, and your staff may feel too overwhelmed and let their roles in pest control fall by the wayside. But one bad experience down the supply chain can affect your business’s reputation for years to come. So, make sure to stress to your employees the importance of keeping this top of mind.
Preserving the safety of your employees and the integrity of your products is everything. That’s why Western® Pest Services offers various services to keep your business running without interruptions and product returns. Plus, we will even help you prepare for every audit so you can pass with flying colors.