Executive Housekeeping Today - July 2008 - (Page 12)

nuIsance anImals (continued from previous page) work environment. Clean and safe environments have been shown to improve morale and lower stress in workers, which could lead to a rise in productivity. Letting a pest disturbance go unchecked, however, will only cause problems. Workers and workers’ unions should be aware of the additional risks besides disease that droppings can cause. Structural failure and potential for bodily injury by slipping are two other possible dangers. The overall quality of your structural building can easily be damaged. The value of your property will drop from the destructive behavior of the animals. The acidic quality of droppings corrodes and defaces surfaces, and causes them to not last as long. Making continuous repairs to your building or even continuous cleaning of your building will cost lots of money. That money could be used in more productive ways, such as increasing the quality of your services. Money that could be used to improve quality is also lost in court costs. It is not uncommon for a person who has slipped and fallen on droppings to file a lawsuit. In December 2007, a former doorman went flying down the steps at a Bronx subway station after slipping on some slimy bird waste. The man broke two bones in his neck and one in his back, suffered herniated discs and a bruise to his spinal cord. He won the case, and was awarded $6 million. Any company that is forced to pay millions in damages will also have to settle for a lower standard of quality because they will likely be forced to make cuts. The message is simple—a big step towards improving quality is to eliminate nuisance birds and rodents. This is not simply a step that can be pushed aside or overlooked. Buildings are routinely cited and closed by governmental health and safety agencies if animal problems have gotten out of control. These agencies are aware of the health and safety dangers associated with having birds or rodents in any place frequented by humans. So, how can you clean up your pest problem and therefore improve your quality? Solutions vary on a case to case basis, but all problems can be solved in an environmentally-friendly and animal safe way. This factor is especially important to ensure that customers are not offended, and no rules are violated. Most government- regulated facilities face this problem in eliminating pests. In these places, some tried and true methods of pest control are simply not permitted. Exterminators that use lethal or environmentallyharmful products, or even regular trap and/or kill methods that an individual business owner may employ, could be prohibited. A case example involves a contract maintenance company that serviced a federal building in Arizona. This particular federal building was battling a mud swallow infestation. Planner for the company, John Hawker, experienced this issue: “The government is sensitive to the environment and to animals and birds,” Hawker says. With a Wildlife Management Office in the building, not just any old removal method was approved; specific governmental guidelines had to be followed. Furthermore, safe and friendly deterrent products are best in case you are dealing with a protected species of bird, such as the Canada goose, which is not allowed to be hunted in some areas. Many commercial products are available to help treat your specific nuisance problem. The most highly regarded and recommended deterrent methods are both eco-friendly The message is simple—a big step towards improving quality is to eliminate nuisance birds and rodents. and humane. After all, having protesters outside your building could also cause concern about the level of quality you are providing. These Green and anti-cruel animal deterrent products are also guaranteed to meet federal guidelines, and may often times come with a warranty. Birds in large numbers are most prevalent on rooftops and ledges, and outdoor eating areas. Other places frequently inhabited by birds and rodents are warehouses, loading docks, and similar storage areas. These are the places where deterrent devices would work perfectly to prevent an infestation. There are a few prime deterrent methods that work best in the executive housekeeping industry because they are low maintenance and rather unnoticeable. Sound generators, visual scare devices, physical barriers, and odor/taste aversions all work well to disturb pests, but not people in a frequently populated area. These key methods all work by making an area uninviting to an animal. The animals are smart, and will simply learn to avoid that space. You are then free to continue your services free from the worry of nuisance animals and with a highly improved level of quality. W Kathleen Oprian is a Media Relations Correspondent for Bird-X, Inc.—the continued worldwide leader in environmentally-safe and anti-cruel bird deterrent products for over 45 years. For more information call (800) 6625021, or visit www.bird-x.com. 2 Executive Housekeeping Today/July 2008 http://www.bird-x.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Executive Housekeeping Today - July 2008

Executive Housekeeping Today - July 2008 Contents Executive Corner Inspecting a Different Way Quality in the 21st Century Frugal Housekeeper How Eliminating Nuisance Animals Can Increase Quality Healthcare Goes Green Feature Article IHW Product Information The Green Scene 2008 Call to Convention 2008 Convention Information Inside the Industry Product Highlights New Members Joint IEHA/ISSA Members CEH/REH Members Advertisers' Index Calendar of Events Inside I.E.H.A. What I.E.H.A. Has Done for Me

Executive Housekeeping Today - July 2008

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