So you thought the home was the only place you would find ants, spiders, roaches, bed bugs, or mice, right? The reality is, insects and rodents can turn up anywhere, and if they happen to find their way into your business, this could be catastrophic for your establishment. Keeping unwanted creatures from taking up shop in your business is fairly easy. If you want to avoid the consequences of pests in the workplace listed below, it will be vital that you develop a solution for keeping them at bay.
Hire a Pest Control Company
Do it yourself measures for pest control may work in your home. It’s a small space occupied by a few people. However, when you have a commercial property, it’s a larger space occupied by multiple people which can make it trickier. Sprays, traps, and other common solutions used at home may not be as effective and can also be time-consuming. Finding out about commercial pest control contracts through providers like Moxie pest control company can help you maintain a safe, healthy, pest-free environment for your staff and clients.
What Happens When Pests Are Found in Your Business?
So, just how bad can it get for business owners who don’t regularly practice pest prevention? The consequences can be steep, swift, and simultaneous. Here’s a look at what could happen if an insect or rodent is discovered at your place of business:
Health Problems – There are a lot of health issues that could result from pests in the workplace. Biting insects like bedbugs, for instance, can result in rashes, itchiness, pain, and discomfort. Despite their name, bedbugs can turn up in couches and chairs, making them a threat to any business with seating. Mice carry a plethora of diseases. Many people are also allergic to the dander, excrement, bites, and stings of certain pests. Should anyone in the building be allergic to bee stings, this too could be a disaster. Roaches also carry disease and spread bacteria around. Their saliva, feces, and hair (which they shed) contain bacteria which can easily get others sick.
Property Damage – They don’t call them unwanted guests for no reason. Once they enter the business, they can begin to wreak havoc on the property without you even realizing it. Termites, as you know are notorious for chewing through wood. Mice burrow holes and chew away at electrical wires. Not only does this damage the property but it could turn into thousands of dollars in repairs.
Ruined Reputation – In this digital environment, a reputation could be ruined with a click of a button. If an employee or client spots an insect or rodent on the property, this information could quickly be shared with the world. Cleaning up a ruined reputation from a dissatisfied customer is rough, but trying to recover from the evidence of pests in your company can be quite the challenge.
Sick Employees/Customers – As pests spread bacteria and disease around the property, this leaves those who occupy the building vulnerable to getting sick, catching a serious disease, or even worse – dying.
Litigation – If your staff or customers end up getting sick, suffering an allergic reaction, or heaven forbid, pass away, you can rest assured that you will be hit with a lawsuit. As an employer and professional establishment, it is your responsibility to provide a safe, healthy, and clean environment for your staff and customers. If you fail to do so, you could have to pay for it – literally.
Closure – If you let your pest situation get out of hand, you could end up losing your business entirely. If customers or staff complain to the health department and you are cited but don’t resolve the matter, you could be closed down temporarily or for good.
Businesses are held to a higher standard when it comes to health and safety. As a business owner, it is your responsibility to make sure that you meet or exceed those expectations. Part of this means doing what you can to prevent pests from entering the premises. Should you spot a problem, it is imperative that you don’t procrastinate and instead contact a local pest control company to resolve the matter. With so much to lose, prevention and proactive action are in your best interest.