One of the biggest issues relating to rodent infestations in and around school grounds is the risks of respiratory diseases, including asthma, rat and mouse bites, and infections. Preventing this from happening is a health and legal issue that all schools face.
School IPM (Integrated Pest Management) starts with having a clear, concise plan on how to protect a school facility (all buildings and adjoining areas) from rodents. This plan will have the duties and responsibilities assigned, detail the types of products that are being used for rodent prevention, as well as the outside support on the team like a local pest management professional.
Why is this important: Without a plan, rodents can inhabit a school and their urine contains asthma allergens that can affect students and teachers as it becomes airborne.
Good aspects of a school IPM program include the following:
- Dry food storage – keep it clean, organized and put away. It helps to have it in containers or locked up so rodents have no access to it.
- Trash – make sure not only that it is removed daily from the school, but do not put trash bins up against the school building. Dumpsters should be 10-15 feet from the school.
- Food – any food that can be a source for rodents, from cafeteria or external sources like fruit trees or disposed wrapper and lunch bags, needs to be disposed of properly every day.
- Maintenance – this is essential on every school day …. Clean the floors in every room in a school building. Even if food isn’t stored near a far classroom, students bring fruit-flavored waters and other drinks along with backpack snacks everywhere throughout the day.
Protecting doorways from openings that allow rodents into school facilities is tremendously important, as well. Burrtec makes state-of-the-art door sweeps that are protected with stainless steel, specifically the Burrat Armor Samurai Door Sweeps.
Burrtec USA is a leading manufacturer of door sweep solutions, providing quality exclusion products to PMPs and building material suppliers. It is the North American division of Burrtec Co., Ltd., one of Japan’s largest pest control producers. To learn more about Burrtec, visit our U.S. website.