PEST CONTROL
Eliminating pests in healthcare settings
The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) is urging collaboration with cleaners in order to protect hospitals.
The trade body for Britain’s pest control industry is calling on cleaning contractors operating across the NHS estate to collaborate with its members to help protect NHS patients and staff.
A survey carried out by UNISON earlier this year revealed that rats, cockroaches, silverfish and other pests are a regular hazard in NHS buildings, and that around one in six hospital staff have seen vermin inside their buildings in the past 12 months.
The BPCA is urging cleaning companies to ensure operatives have access to a clear reporting system for pest- related issues and ensure that their staff have up-to-date ‘pest awareness’ training.
Niall Gallagher, Technical Manager at the BPCA, said: “The UNISON report is based on a UK-wide survey of almost 9,000 health workers. Around one in six reported seeing vermin inside a healthcare setting in the previous 12 months, with 16% reporting evidence of infestations including silverfish, cockroaches and ants.”
With reports of mouse droppings on desks and rats in sterile storage areas, it’s evident that pest control is a vital part of protecting patients and staff.
Historically, the BPCA has played a key role in providing protections for NHS patients and staff, having successfully campaigned for the removal of ‘crown immunity’ in a bid to ensure NHS properties became subject to the same legal standards as other organisations under regulations for food hygiene and health and safety. The campaign was driven by concerns about public safety, with lobbyists highlighting incidents including a salmonella outbreak at a hospital.
Niall added: “More recently, the ‘One Health’ approach outlined by the European Commission aims to balance the health of people, animals and ecosystems through collaboration across relevant sectors and disciplines – including health, environment, agriculture and social science – in a bid to prevent global health threats from infections that can be transmitted between animals and humans.
“This approach contributes to better human, animal and environmental health as well as improved food safety, and is reliant on a wide range of different sectors – such as professionals in the pest and cleaning industry – working together.
“Cleaners are the frontline of pest control, often being the first to spot signs that an unwelcome visitor has arrived, which is why it’s so important for operatives to be pest aware.”
36 | TOMORROW'S CLEANING
The BPCA offers a specialist 20-minute online training session – Pest Awareness for Cleaning Operatives – which provides a basic level of knowledge about the role of cleaners in pest management, why pests need controlling, health and safety legislation, signs of pest activity and more.
Niall continued: “The role of cleaners in pest control – and early intervention – is more vital than ever. Recent legislation across the UK has restricted or banned professional access to glue boards as a method of pest control, limiting our members’ ability to react quickly to pest situations in environments with vulnerable people.
“We are calling on the English, Scottish and Welsh governments to rethink their glue board strategies, to enable our professional members to prevent pests such as rats and mice populating hospital environments and spreading infectious diseases.
“Glue boards were always a method of last resort, but without them, our members have no viable alternative method of fast and effective control when public health and safety is at risk. We must now rely much more heavily on cleaning operatives who are pest aware, have access to a robust reporting system and understand the importance of collaboration with pest professionals.”
The UNISON report can be found here. BPCA member businesses:
• Are endorsed by the Government via the TrustMark quality scheme.
• Carry the correct insurances. • Are trained and qualified technicians.
• Are assessed to the British Standard in pest management EN 16636.
• Follow BPCA’s Codes of Best Practice. To find a BPCA member, click here.
www.bpca.org.uk x.com/TomoCleaning
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