Integrated Pest Management
| Table Header | Table Header |
|---|---|
|
3 |
Controls pests, protects the health and safety of employees, maintains facilities, and protects the environment. |
|
3 |
One to two months to create an IPM plan, one year for plan establishment, and ongoing review and assessment after establishment. |
|
1 |
New IPM measures such as bird mesh and pest-proof waste bins |
|
|
FAC, FIN, GEN, GRD, EHS |
Effective pest control protects people from pest-borne disease, and shields buildings and other property from damage. Pesticide, herbicide, insecticide, and fungicide application leads to pests developing resistance to those products; negatively impacts other beneficial species; pollutes soils, air, and water bodies; and causes human health issues.
Pest problems aren’t just inconvenient. Cockroach allergens—proteins in cockroach feces, saliva, and decomposing body parts—can cause allergies and asthma attacks.7
The goal of integrated pest management (IPM) is to reduce risk to both human health and the environment. An effective IPM program emphasizes controlling factors that could invite pests, preferably using non-chemical methods to reduce pest populations. Methods include reducing the prevalence of pests through prevention, self-help measures that post personnel can implement independently without engaging a facility IPM team, and application of EPA-registered pesticides, if necessary. A typical IPM plan includes identification of problem pest species, pest-prevention measures, monitoring and reporting systems, occupant self-help programs, communication protocols, action thresholds for pest populations, pest control methods and priorities, documentation methods, and inspection schedules.
Include the following best practices in post’s IPM program:
- Verify that pests are the cause of the problem rather than a symptom
- Use pesticides as a last resort. Prevention is the first course of action
- Obtain EHS approval when pesticides are needed and use the least toxic pesticide in the smallest possible quantity, targeting concentrated areas of pests.
- Use pruning and pest-resistant plantings, and locate new vegetation away from the building to reduce bridges that allow pests to access the building.
- Keep lawns short to avoid hiding places for snakes and rodents.
- Use netting or mesh to discourage roosting birds.
- Secure building waste in insect- and rodent-proof containers.
- Eliminate stagnant water to reduce mosquitoes, and consider stocking ponds with larvae-eating fish.
- Use heat treatment rather than chemical fumigation of enclosed areas.
- Provide information to all post personnel on self-help pest control methods as indicated in the IPM Program Document (see Resources: The IPM Program Document).
Tall vegetation is located away from the building to discourage pests
