Safety for Bird Control Experts and Installers
The bird control professionals at Bird B Gone have years of experience and training. We take safety very seriously, and we work diligently to provide installers with thorough, up-to-date safety information regarding both products and procedures. The following is a brief overview of 7 general safety issues faced by bird control installers.
1) Installation Safety
Professional bird control installation jobs require careful attention to safety protocols during cleanup and setup. The most important tool installers have to minimize hazards is the site review. A careful site inspection and review serves to identify potential risks and possible mitigations. Discuss your findings with the client and your team and develop a safe work plan.
During your site review, consider the risks that your team might face, including heights; slips, trips, and falls; diseases; tools and equipment; heavy materials; electricity; and heat exhaustion. Your safe work plan should address how to mitigate each of these risks and others as identified. You’ll find more information about identifying and reducing these risks below and on our website.
2) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Personal protective equipment is required when working with birds and their messes. Bird droppings carry a number of potentially deadly diseases that are transmitted to humans either directly through physical contact or indirectly through respiration. Wearing the appropriate PPE protects you from infection. The requisite PPE includes:
- Full face HEPA respirator or unvented goggles and a half-face respirator. Inhalation of dried pigeon droppings can allow harmful bacteria and gases to enter the body, causing respiratory issues and sickness.
- Protective neoprene gloves
- Bandages covering any open cuts and scrapes
- Full coveralls
At the conclusion of your work with bird droppings, always assume your gear has been contaminated. Change HEPA filters, dispose of or launder coveralls, rinse boots, and disinfect face filters.
3) Chemicals
While working on a bird control project, the chances of coming into contact with chemicals is high, and proper precautions must always be taken. Your first step is to consult the recommendations given by the specific product, and your second step is to follow the correct OSHA regulations. Adherence to these well-defined safety measures is sufficient to keep you and your team safe when working with chemicals.
Bird B Gone sells a number of highly effective, humane chemical bird repellants and deterrents. It is important to carefully follow all defined safety protocols. In addition, make sure your sprayer is in good working order and doesn’t drip and wear any prescribed PPE, especially if working in enclosed spaces or overhead locations.
4) Bird Droppings
To increase the success of any bird control product installation, it’s essential to clean up droppings and debris and then disinfect the area thoroughly. Pigeons are by far the most prevalent pest bird in urban settings, and a well-fed bird can easily create 25 pounds of droppings annually. These droppings can carry any of 60 transmittable diseases, including histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and psittacosis. Additionally, pigeons are attracted to their own messes; no bird control device will ever be effective if the area isn’t first thoroughly cleared of any evidence of bird infestation.
Download the guide: 8 Tips to Successfully Clean Up Bird Droppings today!
Before beginning your cleanup process, inspect the worksite and develop a clear understanding of all conditions, including where the messes are located, the materials involved, existing property damage, drains, and any safety concerns. Determine the equipment required, prepare your PPE, and follow these cleaning steps:
- Wet all droppings with hospital-grade disinfectant.
- Loosen hardened areas with waste digester.
- Don’t generate dust. Never dry shovel, sweep, or vacuum, as this releases potentially harmful spores into the air.
- Physically scrape debris into double trash bags.
- Inspect the site for damage and complete repairs.
- Pressure wash and disinfect the site. Be aware of wastewater and runoff. Check local regulations for collecting and properly disposing of contaminated wastewater.
- Dispose of bagged droppings and debris. Again, comply with all local disposal regulations.
- Practice good hygiene. Always assume everything is contaminated. Disinfect all tools, equipment, and gear and handle PPE properly.
5) Heights
Birds fly, which means their nesting and roosting sites are often up; up in rafters, up in eaves, up on roofs, and up on signs and ledges. Bird control professionals often find themselves wearing clumsy PPE while working on scaffolding, ladders, or aerial lifts to clean up messes and install bird control products. The following steps will keep you and your crew safe while you’re up with the birds:
- Know the safety rules. This means OSHA’s rules, your client’s rules, and the safety guidelines of the products you’re using.
- Conduct a thorough site inspection.
- Train everyone on your crew on operating the equipment safely. Don’t ever assume that someone understands how to safely operate the equipment; make a safety review a normal part of your job preparation.
- Inspect equipment before use. Check for corrosion, wear, and defects.
- Choose the right tools. Ensure that ladders, lifts, and scaffolding can handle the weight of the installer, the tools, and all the supplies and that they will allow you to reach the highest points of the site safely.
- Know the rescue plan and how to respond in an emergency and make certain everyone on the crew knows these procedures as well.
- Watch for risks as you work. Take steps to implement additional control measures as necessary.
- Work professionally. Look out for each other and work together to keep everyone safe.
6) Proper Cleanup
While this has been mentioned already, it’s important enough to bear repeating: Always assume everything has been contaminated. Bird droppings are dangerous. When the job is complete, every piece of PPE, every tool, and every piece of equipment must be thoroughly cleaned and carefully disinfected.
7) Training and Education
Proper training and education contribute significantly to job safety. Bird B Gone offers online and in-person training covering a wide range of topics. Getting the right information before you begin a job will help keep you and your crew safe.
Safety for the Community
Bird infestations cause safety concerns for communities. Protect your property with deterrents, repellents, and exclusion devices from Bird B Gone. Products such as Avian Block will keep birds off your patios and picnic tables so you can eat safely. If you have pest birds regularly congregating near your home or business, you need to be aware of some safety issues.
Droppings
Droppings cause problems. They carry diseases that can easily be transmitted to humans. They’re corrosive and can permanently damage and weaken structures. And they’re a very real slipping hazard when wet. You can’t afford to let a bird problem go unaddressed. Always wear PPE when cleaning up bird droppings and call a professional for help with significant accumulations; never attempt to clean up a large bird mess on your own.
Diseases
Birds and their droppings carry diseases and parasites. Be especially aware of contamination in areas where food is prepared, served, and eaten. In addition, nesting and roosting areas located near HVAC units are dangerous as droppings are easily aerosolized and spread through the air. Don’t leave these issues unaddressed, and don’t assume they will go away on their own. Call a bird control expert to clean up the mess and install effective exclusion devices and deterrents.
Bird Handling
Approach birds with caution. Wear gloves when handling live or dead wild birds. If you find a dead bird, put on some gloves, scoop it up with a shovel and place it in a double plastic bag and then into the trash bin. Pour a good disinfectant on the site where the body was and make sure to disinfect your gloves, the shovel, and your hands. If you see a number of dead birds in a short period of time, or the bird is unusual in any way, report the find to your local wildlife authorities.
Safety and Bird B Gone
Bird B Gone is committed to helping you stay safe from the many dangers posed by large pest bird problems. Contact us today for more information about how you can stay safe.