School Pest Control: An Integrated Approach

Schools have special requirements for pest control management. If left unchecked a pest infestation can become a serious issue. At Suburban Pest Management, our school pest control service identifies hotspots and keeps your children and teachers safe.

Health and safety is a high priority in Queensland schools, as is education. But when it comes to insects and vermin, they don’t understand that our children are at school to learn. Pests in schools have no problem running across the floor or over a desk during the middle of a lesson.

And depending on the type of pest that’s intruding on the class, it can lead to a great deal of disruption. A school integrated pest management plan (IPM), minimises disturbances, reduces injury, disease and damage to property, and stops the spread of pests into the community.

Because health and safety is a priority, an IPM establishes safe and effective methods to deal with pests that are environmentally responsible. At Suburban, we’ve introduced new technologies and processes to support responsible school integrated pest management plans.

Our school pest control service takes into consideration:

• Health and safety of children and staff
• Pest management of school buildings and grounds
• Detailed pest control record keeping  
• Advice to keep pests from coming into schools

Pest Control In Schools As Part Of Your WH&S Management

In Queensland, the Workplace Health and Safety Act (WH&S) requires all workplaces to keep staff and other people who interact with a worksite safe. For schools, this includes children, parents and other visitors who come into the school for incursions, training or to hire facilities.

When it comes to pest control in schools, your WH&S procedure manual should cover chemicals used in pest control. At Suburban Pest Management, we understand that for most people, keeping children safe is the highest priority, so we only use the most reliable possible methods.

As well, your school’s IPM programme which is sometimes referred to as integrated pest control focuses on preventing pests and the damage they cause by using responsible methods. We can help you manage your IPM programme with:

• Detailed pest management records and reports
• Electronic pest monitoring stations
• Site visit information
• Material safety data sheets (MSDS)
• Recommendations to minimise pest problems in schools
  

We are HACCP (FOOD SAFETY) and ISO9001 certified, which means that we have the knowledge and systems in place to manage pest control in all areas in your school including the tuckshop and eating areas.

As well, our fully licensed staff complete extensive training, national Police Checks and carry Blue Cards. We’ll also carry out our services with discretion, and at a time when it provides you with the least disruption such as on school holidays.

‍Pest Management Of School Buildings And Grounds

We recognise schools are busy places with many people spread across a vast expanse of area. Gone are the days when children all sat in one area to eat lunch at the same time. Now, they sit all over the school dropping crumbs and filling bins with leftover scraps.

And it’s not just your school’s tuckshop, lunch areas or bins that attract pests. Pests love cardboard and paper which fill staff rooms, classrooms, toilets and libraries. Many pests, like silverfish and cockroaches, favour cellulose products damaging records and other property.

Good pest control at schools goes beyond health and safety. While it’s the number one priority, there are also other things to consider like damage to school properties and records. The Queensland Government advises schools to be on the lookout for pests.

Aside from the pest management of school buildings, Suburban’s services cover your whole school. We inspect and treat ovals, playgrounds, gyms,  other facilities. Pests are likely to prefer:

• Damp areas either from storm runoff, flooding or dripping taps
• Neglected areas like under buildings or shrubs
• Storage areas for their cardboard and paper
• Bark and woodchip  gardens
• Access to food including uncovered lunches, scraps or crumbs
  

If your school has crows, magpies or brush turkeys, then you’re probably aware that uncovered bins and forgotten lunches can quickly be spread about the school grounds. Scraps often drop into drains and other hard to get to areas. A savvy school’s pest controller inspects everything.

Detailed Pest Control Record Keeping

With today’s stringent workplace health and safety laws, pest control record keeping has to be of the highest standard. It needs to identify risks, such as hotspots (where pests are sighted most), the actions that were taken to remove the risk, list of chemicals, people involved and photos.

At Suburban Pest Management, we use three integrated pest management tools to record pest incidents:

1. Our onsite folder includes everything you need to know about our visits.
2. Electronic pest monitoring stations set-up strategically around your school grounds.
3. An online customer portal where you can access reports and historical data.

How Do You Keep Pests From Coming Into Your School?

With the three tools listed above, you’ll have access to the most comprehensive and effective safe school pest control. Our monitoring and reporting system is ideal for managing pest control.

Your school sees what pests are invading your grounds. Pests like cockroaches, silverfish, termites, rats, mice, ants, mosquitos, flies, fleas and spiders. You’ll have access to:

• Pest sightings and hotspots
• Conducive conditions
• Historical data
  

As well, our pest control inspection and pest control treatment reports make recommendations about how your school and Suburban Pest Management can work together to create conditions less favourable to pests but still safe for children and staff.

Stop Pests In Schools With Suburban’s Safe School Pest Control Service

Aside from being disruptive, pest infestations can spread disease, decrease student attendance and do harm to school property including student records, library books and building structures. As well, schools are the perfect place for pests to hitch a ride out into the wider community.

When your school uses Suburban Pest Management, you can relax knowing your children are safe from harmful pesticides. With a school integrated pest management plan and our reporting and monitoring services, your school is taking a proactive stand against the pests.

If there’s one thing that every school needs, it’s effective pest control. Give Suburban Pest Management a call now on 1300 65 65 72 or get a free quote and keep your school safe.