Pest prevention is one of the top priorities in healthcare facilities. This is no surprise since these institutes are mainly in charge of patients’ well-being. So letting pests and rodents roam around and carrying across infections is not an option for them. But it’s no easy task to maintain a safe level of hygiene and sanitization.
Staff and personnel regulating the parameters of the patient’s well-being encounter various challenges while fulfilling their duty. Pests and rodents are the main cause for transmitting countless illnesses everywhere and will surely lead to the same in these facilities. Therefore, dealing with a pest infestation in hospitals and other health institutions is crucial.
Of course, prevention is the best option in the case of pest infestation. But what should you do once they’ve already made their way inside the institution? The most common and recommended solution is to organize commercial pest control at the hospital. If this is your option, you can visit this site.
However, it is not the only way. Here are some more measures to prevent pests from entering health institutions.
Preventive Measures To Avoid Pests In Health Institutions
Source: terminix.com
Spreading Awareness About Pest Control
It is not too difficult for insects to enter the building from the outdoors. There are various ways in which they conceal themselves while infesting the facility. Pests may get in by clinging to the clothes of guests or members alike. Even entering through bags and other personal belongings of people is very common.
Therefore, it must be made a point to take appropriate steps so that these easy access points for the pests can be closed off. Firstly, the priority is making the staff aware of this problem and educating them about it. You can’t help the visitors from bringing in the pests via clothes and belongings. But at least try to reduce the extent of the problem by alerting the staff.
If the people working at the facility take pest control measures seriously, they will gradually even help teach the visitors about this problem. That is how educating the staff will greatly decrease pest problems in the facility.
Close Entry Points
Open windows, cracked walls, holes in the walls, and equipment are convenient ways for pests to make their way into a health facility. Hence, you must seal off all these entry points. Implement rules for windows to be opened only at specific times, keep someone in charge of the doors, so they are not left open and regularly check your equipment for any cracks or openings.
Keep upgrading your doors and windows. Use doors and windows with a tight fitting that effectively prevent the entry of rodents and pests. It is also known that the amount of rodents and insects increases in winter. So to avoid them from infesting your healthcare facility take extra precautions during the colder seasons.
Along with equipment cracks and open windows, rodents can enter hospitals through plants and shrubs planted just outside the building. Regular cutting down of these plants can prevent pest infestation to a large extent.
Source: adamspestcontrol.com
Proper Plumbing And Drainage System
It is no surprise that pests accumulate around contaminated or leaking water, which is why you should ensure never to leave water leakages unchecked. This will contaminate the weather and attract pests and increase diseases in the vicinity. You do not want to have extra patients in a hospital due to your own fault.
So, you must contact a plumber and have them check your drainage and plumbing systems regularly to avoid leakages. Common causes of bad plumbing include clogged washrooms, water leakage from the ceiling, and loose floor drains. If you notice any of these things, it indicates calling in the plumber.
Contaminated water left unchecked or unclean for several days attracts flies, mosquitoes, and other disease-spreading insects. This could lead to a sudden emergence of malaria and dengue cases. Therefore, you must not ignore water leakage problems at a healthcare facility.
Food Check Is A Must
Infesting any household or facility through food deliveries is one of the easiest ways for pests. Food delivery packages must be thoroughly searched and checked for any possible signs of a pest infestation. The food management head should take full responsibility for ensuring that the food being circulated for the patients is safe.
Food packages with holes and tears are some signs of harmful pests. Also, the packaging and other cardboard boxes in which the food is delivered should be disposed of as soon as they are of no use. If not dealt with on time, the insects infesting these packages will soon make their way into patient rooms.
Another great way to keep safe from the infestation is to ensure that the preserved food is stored on higher floors. Also, remember to keep the preserved food storage away from walls and corners. Keep a person in charge of regulating the quality of the stored food so that you know if pests have infested it.
Don’t forget to maintain hygiene where food is stored or made. Cleaning and sanitizing are a must in food-related areas of a healthcare facility.
Source: nutritioncaresystems.com
Increase Personal Hygiene And Cleanliness
Finally, the most important step to prevent an insect infestation is to look after yourself and maintain your hygiene personally. Insects like bed bugs can make their way into the room of the patient that you are visiting. So for the sake of your loved ones, be sure to sanitize yourself completely and clean your clothes thoroughly after every visit.
The same goes for the staff members responsible for laundry the patient’s clothes and their own. Self-hygiene cannot be stressed enough to reduce germs transmission and pest infestation. By maintaining your own cleanliness you are not only caring for the patient you are visiting but also yourself.
Conclusion
So, these are some ways to ensure that your healthcare facility remains hygienic and free of pests, insects, and rodents. Make sure to follow them thoroughly in your healthcare facility so that no patient’s health and well-being is compromised.
