Bed bugs are quickly becoming a serious issue in the US and around the world. They come in with anyone at any time. They aren’t not easily detected and they are difficult to get rid of. The best way for a business to protect itself is to be proactive. Get ahead of bed bugs by having a plan to prevent an infestation.
A great bed bug plan involves attacking the problem with three separate steps, which we will cover in 3 posts.
Step 1: The Risk Management Plan
Have a real risk management plan – Make sure that employees know what to do if a customer comes to them and says that they have been bitten. They should know what to write down, what to say and how to move forward.
Companies need to have a conversation with their legal departments and providers to make sure that everyone is on the same page of how to handle the situation.
Employees need to learn to be observant and need to be trained what to look for. Every employee can be the eyes and ears of the owners, helping to stay out in front of potential problems.
Review insurances and vendor’s insurances to make sure that everyone is covered in case of an infestation.
Take a look at the pest control provider’s contract In it there should be information on what their responsibility is. It will also help to define what you are expected to do for prevention and in case of an infestation.
Make sure that you have a policy regarding bed bug infestations. This should include non-disclosure, accountability and what the company will do the assist them with eliminating the problem in their own home. (If it’s in their house, it will be back in your business the next day.)