Two signs that a building may be dealing with an infestation

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Martin Lloyd Sanders is an expert on occupational safety, and one of the things that he always deals with is health hazards in the workplace. Many of these health hazards involve biological factors and infestations of all sorts. This blog discusses two signs that a building may be dealing with an infestation.

1. Mold

You might think that it's very common to encounter mold in the workplace every so often. Usually, these become more visible in corners and other tight spaces in your office. However, what is scarier is that any visible population of mold that you see is possibly just the tip of the iceberg. Molds are fungi, and these tend to grow in huge numbers in the dark. That bit of mold in the corner of your office ceiling is the least of your worries. You should be more concerned with a more massive colony potentially residing in your ceiling in its entirety.

2. Rodents

In the office, you may have experienced getting the snack you stashed stolen by somebody else, and so you say that you smell a "rat" in the workplace, which is probably one of your workmates. However, this is not always a figurative meaning. If your food items suddenly go missing, you may literally have a rodent infestation at work. Watch out for messy scraps of food and food wrappers scattered in odd places. Also, watch out for rat droppings.

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You must remember that molds and rodents carry with them several harmful diseases. If you don't act on the problem quickly, you might have difficulty dealing with it later. Your wisest approach is to have a regular inspection a few times within a year. That's because employee safety should be the company's number one priority.

Captain Martin Lloyd Sanders, Ph.D., CSP, led a portfolio of safety, environmental policy, and emergency management services and regulatory oversight for US Department of Health and Human Services. For related reading, visit this page.

Disclaimer: This site was prepared by Martin L. Sanders in his personal capacity. The opinions expressed are the author's own and do not reflect the views of the USPHS, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the United States government.