How to deal with rodents and pests in your warehouse
A smoothly-running warehouse relies on streamlined processes, and disruptions from pests can cause major problems. Warehouse managers and operators have unique pest management challenges due to the size of the facilities, the amount of incoming boxes, and the number of warm, dark places for pests to hide and nest.
What attracts pests in warehouses?
Depending on what you stock in your warehouse, your potential pests will differ. For example, a facility that stores automotive parts will have different concerns than a warehouse that stocks packaged food items. Below are some of the most common areas that pests will target in a warehouse:
Cardboard Boxes
Most warehouses stock products in boxes, and the cellulose fibers in these boxes are prime targets for cockroaches and rodents like mice and rats.
Garbage Area
Even if your warehouse doesn’t store food products, pests can find their way in and eat garbage that employees leave in the break room, kitchen, and office garbage bins.
Drains
Stored Items
If your warehouse stores any food items, beverages, or sweet liquids, you may see ants or flies that are attracted to the sugars, but even non-food items can attract rodents and cockroaches looking for places to nest.
Other Pests
Molted husks and egg casings can attract other critters that feed on the byproducts of insects. With all the places in warehouses where this debris can hide (think the top of shelves or dusty rafters), it’s essential to stay on top of cleaning in your warehouse.
Signs of warehouse pest infestations
Educate your staff about common signs of pests to help manage unwanted intrusions before they become larger issues:
Mice and rat droppings are oblong, while cockroaches leave droppings that are small black specks that look like coffee grounds.
Rodents leave rub marks on pipes and electrical conduits if they’re frequently coming into contact with them. Providing example photos to your staff of what these rub marks look like helps everyone watch out for potential rodent problems.
Rodents frequently chew on electrical wires, leading to shorts and out-of-commission machinery.
Mysteriously malfunctioning machinery can signify a pest infestation inside the equipment. Regular maintenance helps reduce the likelihood of this happening.
Signs of a cockroach infestation include black speck droppings, pill-shaped egg cases, molted exoskeletons, or a musty, oily odor.
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