BED BUG AWARENESS TRAINING PROGRAM

Transcription

1 BED BUG AWARENESS TRAINING PROGRAM

2 THE PERFECT STORM

3 A LITTLE BED BUG HISTORY Bed bugs have been around since man first inhabited caves. In ancient Greece, Aristophanes mentioned bed bugs in his comedy called The Clouds. In 1730, Englishman John Southall published a 44 page book called A Treatise of Buggs detailing his experience with bed bugs at that time. In the early 20 th century, it is believed that one in every three residences in the US had at one time experienced bedbug activity. In the 1950 s, Americans began using DDT very liberally and all but eradicated bed bugs from the US...that is until 5 years ago.

4 WHY THE CONCERN?

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6 ONE HOTEL COMPANY S BED BUG HISTORY In 2007, 27 confirmed cases of bed bugs (20 found by associates) In 2008, 68 confirmed cases (32 found by associates) In 2009, 97 confirmed cases (53 found by associates) In 2010, projecting over 125 confirmed cases! Currently we are estimating that the monthly impact of these bugs is between $20,000 to $30,000

7 FACTS Bed bugs are NOT associated with filth.they are found in hotels, 5 star resorts, college dorms, hospitals, movie theaters, private homes, the workplace and even prestigious department stores like Victoria s Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch. Bed bugs have made a comeback in the U.S. due to international travel, ineffective pesticides, and the fact that they are notorious hitchhikers. Bed bugs, eggs, and shed skins in the seam of a piece of luggage Bed bugs infesting a running shoe

8 BED BUG PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Bed bugs are flattened, oval and wingless. They are reddish brown in color Mature bed bugs are roughly the size of an apple seed.

9 BED BUG FEEDING HABITS Bed bugs are generally active at night with a peak attack period one hour before dawn. Bedbugs are attracted to their victims by warmth and the presence of carbon dioxide (CO2). Bed bugs pierce the skin of their victims with a two in one hollow tube. With one tube, the bedbug injects its saliva which contains anticoagulants and anesthetics while the other tube is used to withdraw blood from it s host. After feeding for about five minutes, sometimes puncturing the skin more than once, the bug returns to it s hiding place. Bed bugs can live up to 18 months without feeding but generally seek blood every 5 to 10 days. Close up of mouth parts feeding

10 BED BUG REPRODUCTION Female bed bugs can lay up to 5 eggs in a day and 500 eggs during a lifetime. Eggs are visible to the naked eye measuring 1mm in length (approximately 2 grains of salt) and are a milky white tone in color. Eggs, bed bugs and excrement behind a headboard. Close up of empty bed bug egg cases on the fabric of a mattress.

11 WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF UNCHECKED FOR 45 DAYS BED BUGS AND 1,046 EGGS

12 BED BUG INFESTATIONS Hotel infestations are almost always the result of the bugs being brought in by way of guest luggage. Bed bugs can travel between rooms in search of a blood meal. 20% to 30% of adjoining rooms may be infested. Bedbugs are flat which allows them to hide in tiny crevices. During the day, the bugs remain hidden in places such as mattress seams, behind headboards, in artwork frames, baseboards, anywhere there is a crack has the potential for a bed bug hiding place. Bed bugs clustering on wood spacer behind a headboard Heavy infestation in the folds of a mattress Bed bugs between slat and frame of an infested bed

13 ROOM INSPECTIONS WHAT TO LOOK FOR Small dark specs on mattresses, photo/artwork frames, wallpaper, headboards. The specs are actually fecal droppings and look similar to pepper. Headboards and box springs are typically the first area of infestation. Small blood spatters or smears on linen which occurs when an engorged bug is accidentally crushed. Heavy infestations have a sickly sweet and pungent odor. Droppings and bed bugs in mattress seam Close up of bed bugs in mattress seam Bugs and splatter stains on linen

14 ROOM INSPECTIONS WHAT TO LOOK FOR View of the back of a headboard. The white arrows show bed bugs and the red arrows show droppings. View of the bottom of a box springs.

15 ROOM INSPECTIONS SUITE ATTENDANTS Suite attendants should be issued a flashlight for their carts. As beds are being stripped, mattress seams should be examined for any bedbug activity. Additionally, linen should be examined for blood smears. Headboards should be quickly examined. Flashlights should be used for the aforementioned inspections. If any activity is noted OR suspected, the suite attendant should immediately contact his or her supervisor. Once reported to the supervisor, the room should be closed and NOTHING should leave until a more thorough inspection has been completed by management. This includes linen and the vacuum cleaner if it was brought into the room. If bedbug activity is confirmed or strongly suspected, the General Manager or Manager on Duty must be immediately notified.

16 ROOM INSPECTIONS MAINTENANCE A thorough bedbug inspection should be incorporated into the quarterly preventative maintenance (PM) program. A form will be required to be filled out and signed by the tech conducting the inspection. The form will note each area that will be required for inspection. The completed form will be filed with the proper PM documentation. If bedbug activity is noted or suspected, management should be immediately notified. Management will then conduct an inspection and if bedbug activity is confirmed or strongly suspected, the General Manager or Manager on Duty will be immediately notified. Bed bugs and eggs packed into a crack in a hotel headboard

17 MANAGEMENT NOTIFICATION Once management has been notified of bedbug activity or suspected activity, the General Manager, or Manager on Duty, should immediately contact a preapproved professional pest management company to conduct a independent inspection. The room where activity has been confirmed or suspected should be closed, and no one allowed to enter until after the independent company has confirmed activity and/or treated the room. If a guest has made a complaint the preceding instructions should be followed with an emphasis on pest company notification. If the guest threatens legal action or escalation, please notify Sam Logan at Island Hospitality (561) A family picnic.

18 EMPLOYEE COOPERATION Some of you may ask. Why should I cooperate and spend even a few seconds inspecting the bed, headboard, linen, etc? Why should I take the time to follow the PM bedbug instructions? Its your job! However there is a better reason

19 ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS!!! We will pay each associate who finds a bed bug problem BEFORE a guest report, $100!

20 BED BUG BITES

21 PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER To successfully implement an effective bedbug prevention program, all associates must work together as a team. Housekeepers need to inspect beds and linens daily. Maintenance needs to completely inspect all areas on the bedbug inspection form as part of their regular preventative maintenance. All associates who observe, or are notified of suspected bedbug activity, should immediately contact property management. Management should react very quickly when notified by contacting a pest control company.