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As the threat of bed bug infestations is still a reality, it is very important for all businesses to have a bed bug response plan. This is a plan of action that is established so that if your business does get bitten by bed bugs, you and your staff are prepared.  Hotels and the hospitality industry are a major target and source for bed bug infestations. These businesses especially need to be ready to combat bed bugs. In order to be more prepared, the St. Louis pest control professionals at Rottler Pest & Lawn Solutions would like offer you a few suggestions on how to create your bed bug response plan.

Spotting a bed bug begins with the proper training of your staff, since they are the ones most likely to encounter such a problem. For hotels or vacation rentals, this is going to be your cleaning and maintenance staff. These are the people who will be in the rooms, and they should be fully trained and educated on what a bed bug looks like and what the signs of a bed bug infestation are. They are your front line and the ones who could prevent you from a whole lot of misery before a guest enters an infested room. Read our previous blog to get The 411 On Bed Bugs.

The next step is to have a detailed response plan so that your staff knows exactly what to do if they spot a bed bug. Who to call and what steps to take must be clear to each team member. A quarantine process should be the immediate action when a bed bug infestation has been found, which makes this the third step in your bed bug response plan. Until a professional pest control company can get there, which should be fast, you still need to close off that space. Since bed bugs are so tiny and have flat bodies, a proper quarantine plan is necessary to ensure that no bugs sneak out of one room and off to another.

You should also have employees sign a confidentiality pledge regarding bed bug infestations. Not that you are going to keep it a secret and hope the guests don’t notice, but a confidentiality pledge is to save your business in the unfortunate event that a law suit were to be filed. You don’t want employees speaking or acting in a way that could cause more trouble for your business.

Step five is to create a relationship with a professional pest control company nearby. If you did find yourself in the midst of an infestation, you don’t want to have to deal with a new company and setting up an account when you really just need the pest control pros to get rid of the bed bugs. You may also want to consider an insurance plan that could help protect you and your business in the case of any lawsuits regarding bed bugs. Hire a legal professional who has dealt with bed bug cases before and who has the knowledge to help you in any cases against your business.

It is unfortunate that businesses could suffer legal issues in the case of bed bug infestations. The assumption for many is that bed bugs are from filth, but that is just not the case. A five star hotel is just as likely to have bed bugs as the economy hotel down the street. Bed bugs come with guests and travelers, which is why every business must be prepared. Any guests who encounter a bed bug infestation are likely to suffer from a lot of post traumatic stress, and that is the number one reason to protect your business with a detailed bed bug response plan.  

For hotel and business owners in St. Louis and the surrounding areas, get more information on bed bugs in businesses by contacting the St. Louis bed bug experts at Rottler Pest & Lawn Solutions. We would love to help you and your business stay protected against bed bugs.

Tags: bed bugs st. louis  |  Rottler Pest & Lawn Solutions