Pest control
Accreditations also mean that a pest control contractor will help you to comply with regulations such as: n Prevention of Damage by Pests Act n Health and Safety at Work Act n Control of Pesticides Regulations n Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations
n Food Safety Act n Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations
n Animal Welfare Act
Evidence that staff are well trained is very important. Look for proof such as Investors in People. Also, has the company won any awards? It is a sign that the business has received external scrutiny and is proud of its service. Insurance should include public liability
insurance and employers’ liability – both up to at least £10 million for a regional company.
Hawks at Hatfield It is also worth looking at a provider’s corporate social responsibility work. We started visiting care homes after a request from a resident in one home. The visit was so successful that a number of visits have been arranged. Our expert bird handlers use Harris
hawks, which are ‘predator’ birds, to unsettle nesting birds such as pigeons and gulls. Predator birds can be used in a wide variety of environments, including stadia, shopping centres, and housing developments. Regular visits will result in the pest birds finding alternative nesting sites. This is a prime example of effective ‘green’ pest control in action. Three members of the Cleankill Pest Control bird control team stopped by Hatfield Nursing Home – a 118-bed facility in Hertfordshire offering residential care,
dementia care, nursing care and respite care – with their Harris hawks. The visit gave residents the opportunity to meet, stroke, and ask questions about the hawks. As well as the residents, staff gain huge satisfaction from the enjoyment of showing their birds off. Some of the residents were unable to leave their rooms so had personal visits from the bird team. The visit was arranged after we were
contacted by Hatfield Nursing home following a visit to St. Catherine’s Hospice in Caterham, Surrey. Due to the weather, our team of Alan Day, Richard Quarterly, and Haden Tucker conducted the visit indoors, taking the hawks from room-to- room and giving each resident a one-to-one experience. In total, the team met around 30 residents across three floors. Bird handler and technician Alan Day
explained: “It was a real pleasure to meet the staff and residents at Hatfield Nursing Home. Richard, Haden, and I love to be given the opportunity to show off our hawks and it was a real joy to be able to answer the residents’ questions. The delight in their eyes when they got to stroke one of the hawks was clear to see.”
Hatfield Nursing Home’s activity co-ordinator, Steve, told us: “The visit from Cleankill provided the perfect opportunity for our residents and team members to interact with and learn about the hawks and their unique work. Animal therapy positively influences the mental wellbeing of adults living with dementia, and our residents thoroughly enjoyed this experience. We thank the team at Cleankill for their visit, and we cannot wait to see our new feathery friends in the future.” As a company, we understand there is
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more to running a successful business than just work. Making the time to do things like taking our Harris hawks to a nursing home not only has a positive impact on the residents, but it also has a positive impact on us. As a company we enjoy giving something back to the community we serve and this was a perfect opportunity for us to do that. n
Paul Bates
Cleankill Pest Control founder and senior manager Paul Bates knows pests and the pest control industry inside and out and has not looked back since starting his career as a pest control technician in 1981. Paul joined Cleankill in 1997. He
is well known in the industry and frequently helps and advises other companies on how to improve their businesses. He is a regular guest on BBC Radio and is frequently quoted in the local and national press. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management.
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com September 2024
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