Bed Bugs in Offices
Some commercial buildings feature offices and waiting rooms that serve the public. Buildings with a steady flow of visitors are particularly vulnerable to Bed bug infestations, since Bed bugs use hooks on their feet to hitchhike on clothing and belongings.
Private offices that are closed to the public can get Bed bugs too. Employees can pick up Bed bugs on public transportation or even at restaurants, so Bed bugs may be brought to work without there being an infestation at a worker’s home.
When an employee does have an infestation at home, they may infest the workplace before they even realize that their home is infested. Because some people’s skin doesn’t react to Bed bug bites, and Bed bugs are very good at hiding, an employee may not be aware that their home is infested. In fact, one study which featured the group least likely to have skin reactions, the elderly, demonstrated that up to half of those living in Bed bug infested apartments didn’t know it because their skin didn’t react to bites.
Handling Employees with Bed Bug Infestations
Blame is useless when it comes to the origin of a Bed bug infestation. Trying to figure out which employee may have brought the problem can cause more harm than good and make an employer vulnerable to discrimination, harassment or retaliation claims. Addressing the workforce as a whole and never singling out an individual are useful ways to avoid this risk.
When Bed bugs are suspected in the workplace, materials on how to check one’s mattress and identify an infestation at home should be distributed to all employees at once, and an employer should state that their policy is to not single out any employee or tolerate an environment where others do so.
When an employee does have an infestation at home, unless they seek treatment, your office could be re-infested. The best way to encourage employees to determine whether they have an infestation and seek the necessary treatment is to gather all of your employees together for an information session taught at no charge by Landmark’s expert staff.
Staff Education
Landmark’s research-based, green approach to commercial Bed bug eradication is successful in part because when Bed bugs strike an office, Landmark sends an entomologist, biologist, or public health professional to your site to conduct information sessions for your personnel.
Landmark’s education sessions not only reduce social stigma associated with Bed bugs, but they also encourage early reporting which can result in better treatment outcomes for your workplace.
Having a Bed bug infestation at work can result in loss of productivity, anxiety, and even negative media attention. Landmark Pest Management understands the complexity of Bed bug treatment so you can keep your focus where it should be, on your business.
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