A Complete Guide To Disinfection And Pest Management For Corporates

Introduction 

Since its inception, COVID-19 has proved dangerous to many humans, for one or more reasons. Nevertheless, the fact remains that we have to start to learn to live with this virus, abiding by its rules, and agreeing to whatever norms it forces on us. Many aspects of the world, including the physical, financial, economical, and mental states have been disturbed, owing to the presence of SARS Cov-2. However, it is about time that we resume our services to revive the economic slowdown.

With this practice, comes many challenges, both stated and unstated. One of the most neglected yet significant challenges is disinfecting and sanitizing the workplace and company offices, of course through the aid and assistance of a professional disinfection and pest control company.

Before we head out to look at the complete guide about disinfecting workplaces, let us understand the terms “disinfection and pest management” clearly, with special emphasis on the differentiation between the two.

Disinfection and pest control

Pests or harmful insects like termites, cockroaches, bugs, etcetera are tiny creatures that are known to create havoc wherever they thrive. In order to get rid of them from their households, or offices, people arrange a pest control service that claims to manage the spread of these pests through methods involving exclusion, repulsion, physical removal or chemicals. Disinfection, on the other hand, refers to regular sanitization services that are held to disinfect your workplace or household building from microbes that are impossible to target from the naked eye.

The primary difference between the two essential services lies in organisms they remove while pest control services take care of insects that are visibly dangerous to most things, rarely affecting human health.

Disinfection curbs the problems created by bacteria, viruses, germs, microbes, or diseases that spread and magnify as quickly as they start breeding, causing trouble to the human body and health.

The unprecedented situation of COVID-19 demands both disinfection and pest control services to create a safe and hygienic environment for everyone residing in a particular community and physical space.

If you wish to ask questions or learn more about pest control services in the corporate work environment, then go no further. In the preceding article, we will provide you with an ultimate guide that would assist you in your journey of effectively disinfecting and sanitizing your workplace. Without further ado, let us begin.

Engaging in a surface sanitization service

The most essential part is to start by engaging in a surface sanitization service. However, now the question arises. When it is suitable and preferred for a business to engage in the surface sanitization service. Why is it so important to do it, how long will it take to complete the surface sanitization and how much will it cost for a regular business and company owner to carry out this process.

When to go for sanitization service?

It is not so difficult to identify when your business requires a surface sanitization service. There is not a particular threshold that separates a business from wanting or not wanting to engage in surface sanitization. All you need to do is engage in an active process of identification and analysis for the same.

With the rise in COVID-19 cases, it is recommended that you look for companies that offer government-approved disinfection services. In addition, disinfecting the office space before reopening is a preliminary to keep your employees safe.

Determining when your office requires pest management demands proactive detection of any signs of damage that are likely to be caused by the presence of pests or microbial infections.

If you could, engage in practices of diligent protection, and follow all the maintenance rules to keep any and every kind of contamination risk at bay.

Other than this, encourage your employees and co-workers to engage in regular checkups and wait for them to display any symptoms of illness that might be attributed to the disastrous presence of pests and viruses.

Disinfectants ensure that the microbes are killed and taken care of at places that are otherwise out of human reach. Contact a professional pest management and disinfection company, after proper research, and engage with them with maximum promptness and awareness.

Why?

The importance of engaging in timely surface sanitization services surpasses everything. It is important to bring your business and economic needs back to pace. The presence of pests brings your business to a halt, primarily because the resources are affected. A way back is contacting professionals to clean up the mess, allowing you to continue your business goals.

The companies customize their disinfectant plans and services to suit your unique business needs. This way, you can make sure that your workplace is not significantly impacted by all the interruptions.

Professionals are well-equipped with the best methods, tools, and knowledge to sanitize each and every nook and corner of your workplace, that too with maximum precision. This is difficult to achieve if another employee is hired to do so. Plus, this service is hassle-free and affordable, in most cases, so it is a win-win for everybody.

How long does it take? 

Usually, if you want your workplace or commercial office to receive a complete surface sanitization, you can expect the work to be done within 45 minutes. Further, the time limit varies with the total area of your office.

If your workplace is a multiple-level building, expect a few hours of total cleanup. The time durations are maximum limits and might shift for each service provider. It is best to contact them prior to engaging in the services.

Is it expensive? 

It is completely dependent on the budget criteria that your business has. Most pest management and disinfectant companies offer numerous plans with different prices, all varying in the services they provide enormously. Based on your company’s needs and goals, you can opt for a suitable and appropriate plan.

Take special care in conducting your research, evaluating price ranges before deciding to choose one. You should invest some time to achieve the best value for money solutions.

Does your business require pest control and disinfection services?

If you are one of those who think there might only be a limited type of businesses that require pest control and disinfection services, then you might be wrong. While there are definitely some types of businesses that are more susceptible to getting contaminated, if we look broadly, the present day and age do not allow us to differentiate between businesses when it comes to disinfecting the workplace against its effects.

If we decide to cut straight to the chase, we can say that there is no type of business that does not require protection from the harmful effects of COVID-19 as such. In fact, since the lockdown has lifted, the businesses providing pest control and disinfection services have thrived because of workplaces and companies demanding their services.

If we see beyond disinfection services due to coronavirus, commercial buildings like offices, hotels, and restaurants are likely to be faced with issues concerning the amplifying population of pests such as cockroaches, mice, and flies.

Many pest control companies use heat treatment technologies to kill off pests which have also proved to be an effective treatment for terminating the contagious particles of the novel coronavirus.

That being said, if your business is listed under an essential service provider, then your workplace might also be operating under the restrictions of COVID-19. In that case, you should contact a pest management company as soon as you resume your services, even if it doesn’t look like a primary consideration.

Checklist of areas of inspection for sanitizing and pest control

Though your professional company would be checking all the important workplace areas for inspection purposes, requiring special sanitization and pest control attention, you should also be aware of the same. Below is a checklist of all the areas of inspection for sanitizing and pest control.

Tables and Desks

Tables of use and desks are frequently touched every few seconds by not one, but multiple people for different purposes. This makes it vulnerable as a place of high contamination and harm for those using it.

Keyboards

In the present day and age, when everything has shifted to a digital medium, the use of keyboards, laptops and PCs has simultaneously increased. Until and unless you have a unique laptop for every employee, check the common keyboards and PCs for contamination and infection.

Toilets

No one really needs a reason as to why toilets are on the list. They contain most of the germs and bacteria, coronavirus or otherwise, and that is what makes it a must check the area for pests and infections.

Doorknobs

If we are working in a confined space, moving in and out is a mandate. As we all are aware of the fact, doors are built and used for this purpose. Doorknobs are a place where human contact is maximum. Unless each of the people working in your office wears a pair of new gloves after every 1 hour, you and other members are at a high risk of catching the infection.

Handles 

Doorknobs are not the only handles that are susceptible to the presence of covid-19. Handles of cupboards, personal drawers, refrigerators, vehicles, and so on are touched way more times than we can count.

Light switches

Electricity switches, especially those with lights and fans are also one such area that is touched the most.  Apart from them, fan regulators also make it to the top of the list. Make sure to sanitize them once every few seconds.

Touchscreens 

Perhaps you do not need a reason or explanation for this one. Touch screens enable humans to directly make contact with an electric appliance. If the appliance is installed within the premises of your workplace, numerous people would use it for their purpose. This is not a piece of great news for those who are wishing to drive the virus away.

Faucets and sinks 

Faucets and sinks used primarily for the purpose of washing hands have a lot of germs present inside them, perhaps also around them. Let the company carefully inspect your sink and make sure to disinfect it.

Pantry and Canteen 

Any place associated with food invites people, and if it is the only way to attain food, then a crowd around the corner is sure to build. The pantry and canteen of your workplace breed most of the viruses, pests, and infections. Not to forget, the food that is made and is available invites insects too!

Meeting and conference room 

Meeting and conference rooms are known to be present to provide a way for people to gather and discuss ideas relevant to the progress of the company. Even if you follow the 50% occupancy rule, it is hard to say that enough precautions are being taken to eliminate the spread of the virus.

Plus, if you have people in your office removing pests and infections, you might as well just inspect these two areas.

Warehouse and storage rooms 

Warehouse and storage rooms contain all the additional elements that are of minimal interest to the office. The presence of coronavirus is rare to occur in such a place, but you can definitely expect pests like mice, rodents and cockroaches in such a place.

Others 

The aforementioned areas are most vulnerable to pests and infections, especially to COVID-19, but just to be on the safe side, we should inspect other common areas as well. Some of them include Retail spaces, office ATM machine, gas pump handles, landlines, and countertops.

These areas also present us with special challenges, and we should take special care in getting them inspected and safely sanitized.

What are the hygiene and safety risks to consider? 

Given the huge number of casualties and infected people all over the world, you can safely assume the risks to be huge and not something to be meddled with. Sanitization is important because the risks presented to us by contaminants and germs is huge and we cannot afford to neglect them.

Pest management and disinfection make it easier and more convenient for us to trust the air we breathe and the surroundings we are living in. In addition, maintaining proper hygiene conditions is required for the human body to thrive.

Not doing so can result in conditions like upper respiratory problems, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, and fever, while also increasing the risk of cross-contamination. These hygiene and safety risks can be attributed to the outbreak of bacteria and viruses such as coronavirus, Influenza A, E.Coli and Staphylococcus.

Checklist for pre-and post-treatment needs 

Seems like the precautionary methods never end. If you wish to pest control and disinfect your workplace, there are certain pre-treatment and post-treatment needs that one needs to follow to get maximum benefits out of the treatment and services.

Pre-treatment needs

Here is a list of carefully researched pre-treatment needs that would help you prepare for your workplace before the services began. Go through them carefully and adopt as many as it is possible for you to follow:

• Ensure to declutter the space effectively and clean it up for any unwanted elements.
• Check for tools or items related to edibles, pack them up nicely and keep them at a safe place until the disinfection is completed.
• Aquariums and fish tanks should be covered by a sturdy cloth material so that no chemical gets inside the tank and kills the animals. Do the same for your pet houses. Further, move the pets away and relocate them to a safer space.
• End users and employees should be informed prior and should not be allowed to stay in the workplace premises till the process is completed.
• Valuable, sensitive, and essential items should be located and protected safely. If needed, hide them away at a darker place.

Post-treatment needs

It is essential to maintain the efficacy of pest control and disinfection services for longer periods of time. Therefore, we have a list of post-treatment needs that everyone should comply with, for getting maximum benefits.

• As soon as the servicemen leave, evacuate the place and do not return any time before 2 to 4 hours. The chemicals can be harmful to your respiratory system.
• Make special arrangements to get maximum ventilation to your workplace. It is important to
• If you wish to, clean the place neatly and do not leave any stains.
• You can resume normal life activities after some time.

Evaluating a credible and professional pest control company

Professional sanitization and disinfection services

In order to hire a professional sanitization disinfection company, there are a lot of considerations that go into use, a lot of efforts that are unsaid, and a lot of hard work that is necessary for getting the best firm on board.

We have prepared a few questions, ranging from “how to select, questions to ask, to authentic and fake company differentiations” that would help you fetch something reliable and affordable.

How to select?

It is essential to maintain awareness from the beginning of the process. If you take special care while selecting a firm, then you might be freed from additional problems in the near future. But, how can you select something so reliable?

We have a few suggestions:

• Conduct research as to how the firm monitors the issues. Do they use trusted methods or not? Will the treatment decisions be accurate by using their services?
• Check the kinds of levels they provide services on. These are usually known as injury levels, and companies have varied services depending upon the level of injury. Know if their methods are accurate in making predictions and preventing additional damage.
• Evaluate their success rate. How often were they able to eliminate the pests effectively?
• Do the members have an adequate channel of communication between them?
• Are the workers receiving appropriate information required to control the pests? If yes, then how often is the information updated?

Questions to ask

In order to make sure that you are hiring the right kind of pest control service company, here are a few questions that can help you make the final decision. Go through the list and ask whatever you feel is suitable according to you:

• Are you aware of the pesticides and chemicals that you are spraying?
• What is the reason behind you choosing this chemical to spray?
• What is the success rate of your services? Do you still witness pests and infections after spraying your chemicals?
• Who accompanies the PCO during their visit from the staff? If no one, then why?
• Do you conduct regular follow-ups after providing your services?
• How often do you receive a written statement of the findings?

Differentiating between authentic and fake services

Remember that is not very difficult to differentiate between companies providing authentic and fake services. The following tabular representation will help you in making an informed decision.

Conclusion

We know that some of you might view the entire disinfecting and pest controlling process as a burden for your business, but remember that this is important for your as well your coworker’s health.

Moreover, if performed rightly, disinfecting would not be a hassle for your business at all. All you need to do is develop a blueprint and stick to it. The prepared plan would help you in following a proper opening and operating mechanism post-treatment.

While building the plan, make sure that you leave some room for flexibilities and modifications, that would always show up at the last moment. Lastly, review your plan before execution, every now and then.

That’s it! Doesn’t take much to run a hygienically good business, does it?