Executive Housekeeping Today - November 2008 - (Page 9)

Executive housekeepers have an obligation to keep an environment clean and safe. Trying to get these results in a building which is battling a pest bird infestation (and the mess that the birds leave behind) can be overwhelming when you do not know where to start. Not to mention, while the people working on the problem know that the hours, days, weeks, months, and years that go into cleaning up after birds are a morale-busting waste of time and money, bird lovers may not understand why bird control is necessary. They might not even care that uncontrolled bird populations cause dangerous conditions when they intersect with human populations. This is why Green bird control is so important—it allows you to solve the real problem, not just clean up after the symptoms, all the while knowing that you are using cruelty-free, environmentally-friendly methods of which you can be proud. Still, it is easier to counter the arguments of those who like having birds around or those who do not want to add another expense to the budget if you fully understand why bird control is necessary. Financial managers are often unaware that finding a permanent solution to their pest problems can help their business economically. They may view bird exclusion strategies as a cost rather than understanding them as a way to nip their problem in the bud. Short term, they should consider that the time which is currently spent cleaning up after birds could be used for tackling other problems on-site. Long term, they e Don’t Just Clean Up After Birds— Get Rid of Them! by Elana Moriarty must remember that letting a bird infestation linger could cause enormously damaging business costs in the form of fines, lost time, and even lawsuits. OSHA or other governmental agencies could easily cite and shut down a building for a bird mess that goes unchecked. This is because they know that bird droppings are dangerous—they are both a vehicle for disease transmission and a slip-and-fall risk—not to mention the structural damage that they cause. While most people are aware that bird droppings damage the aesthetics of a place by projecting an image of lowquality (a definite devaluation for any facility that relies on its appearance to gain business), it is a littleknown fact that they actually cause permanent property devaluation due to their acidic make-up, which eats through surfaces. They also accelerate the rusting process on steel. This, combined with the sheer weight of accrued bird mess, can lead to dangerous conditions. One tragic example of this was reInstalling an ultrasonic unit, like the man pictured above, is just one of the cruelty-free, environmentally-friendly methods you can use to deter birds. ported by The Sydney Morning Herald on December 9, 2007, when an Australian man was killed when an awning collapsed and caused the attached wall to crumble on top of him. The collapse was attributed to an accumulation of pigeon excrement which had simply become too heavy. (continued on page 12) November 2008/Executive Housekeeping Today 9 http://www.bird-x.com/EHT http://www.bird-x.com/EHT

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

Executive Housekeeping Today - November 2008 Contents Executive Corner The Most Unwelcome Guests Good Housekeeping: Eliminating Pests from the Equation Frugal Housekeeper Director-at-Large Distribution Don’t Just Clean up After Birds—Get Rid of Them! Monday Night is Fly Night Green Pest Control Practices Executive Profile The Green Scene Keeping Hard Floors Clean For the Holidays Inside the Industry Product Highlights New Members Joint IEHA/ISSA Members Advertisers’ Index Calendar of Events Inside IEHA What IEHA has Done for Me

Executive Housekeeping Today - November 2008

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