Keeping Mosquitos Away from Your Business

As we approach Summer, the threat of mosquitos grows larger. For workers, especially those who work outside or travel, mosquitoes can pose a dangerous threat. Therefore, it is essential that you, and your employer, take steps to protect you against the threats mosquitos pose. While, in the United States, it is not common for mosquito-related illnesses to cause death, mosquitos are still able to make a person sick.

At-Risk Workers

Because different species of mosquitos inhabit different parts of the United States, those at risk include:

– Those who travel for work

– Outdoor workers

– Healthcare workers who may be handling infected patients

– Those who work with infected samples

Each of these areas has the possibility, some higher risk than others, of contracting mild to life-threatening mosquito based diseases.

Keeping Your Employees Safe

Take steps to ensure that employees have a safe environment to work. Therefore, consider the following measures to ensure that mosquitos look the other way:

– Stop mosquitos from breeding by eliminating stagnant water

properly store equipment
remove debris (from ditches, holes, and trenches)
remove areas that collect stagnant water (tires, buckets, barrels, bottles)
ensure proper drainage away from the worksite

– If working indoors, fit all doors and windows with proper screens

– Give worker training

the risk mosquitos pose
symptoms of mosquito based diseases
proper use of insecticide and repellent

– encourage workers to wear proper clothing that covers the whole body

in particularly bad areas, encourage workers to wear a net that covers their face

– provide repellents with an EPA registered active ingredient (DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon, eucalyptus, para-methane-diol, 2-undecanone)

workers must have proper training when handling repellent to avoid injury

Keeping Yourself Safe

While your employer must help maintain the office space or jobsite, it is equally important that you take care of yourself.

– If provided repellents, do not be afraid to use them

FOLLOW LABEL INSTRUCTIONS
Permethrin can be applied to clothing and gear
If using skin-based insect repellent, but you are also using sunscreen, apply the insect repellent first

– Wear clothing that covers the entire body and extremities (hands), and consider wearing hats with built-in nets to protect the face and neck

– Help remove stagnant water from office space or jobsite

– If you begin to encounter symptoms of a mosquito-related illness or notice a coworker experiencing similar health issues, do not hesitate to inform a supervisor and get medical attention

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this information, do not hesitate to reach out to us! Accurate Pest Control is certified in handling mosquito-related issues and will handle the matter professionally and safely.