If you had a question like how to tell if my office has fleas, then you can learn all about it and how to eliminate them in this article. Flea infestation is a serious problem, and that can happen anywhere, including the office. An employee may accidentally bring them in from their home via flea eggs, larvae, or mature fleas hidden within their clothes and belongings. When they come into the office, instant extermination requires immediate action to get them out as soon as possible. First, you need to learn how to tell if your office has fleas to be able to take quick actions when they occur.
Identifying Fleas at Work
Look for adult fleas
The easiest way to determine if you have fleas is by finding the pesky bugs, but that can be very difficult. Fleas are tiny brown or black insects with six legs. They jump high and fast and can move very quickly, making them harder to catch.
Search for flea droppings
Flea droppings look like small visible bits of dirt, which might mix up with the office dirt. Use a damp paper or towel to scrub suspicious-looking dirt, and if they leave reddish streaks behind, then you might have a flea infestation.
Flea eggs
Look around the rugs, carpets, and possible crevices around the office for flea eggs. They are tiny and oval-shaped. You might need a pair of gloves and a magnifying glass to find them
Fleabites
Fleabites are also the most obvious signs and the easiest to look for. Search for small red itchy bumps that occur around the knees, ankles, waistbands, or around the top of your socks. Fleabites will have one small puncture hole with minimal swelling. Some fleabite marks may also bleed or scab over if they are scratched.
Identifying the Source of the Infestation
Before you can treat your office, it is vital to make sure you deal with how they came into the office in the first place. Talk to the employees about flea infestations, so they can identify if they have them at home and deal with them accordingly. If they do not deal with the outbreak in their home, the flea infestation may return to the office.
Treating Your Office
Once you have determined the problem, employees should tidy their offices and vacuum the entire area. Afterward, call in the pest exterminators to deal with the flea infestations. Most treatments will require that your employees do not clean or vacuum the rugs and carpets for about two weeks to eliminate the infestation completely. Now you know how to tell if your office has fleas, deal with the infestation quickly whenever they occur. Flea infestations in the office are not only troublesome; they are a lawsuit waiting to happen. Specific regulations, such as the Employee Rights Act 1996 for work environments, say that you must provide a safe working environment. Dealing with infestations quickly will help you build back that friendly and safe work environment you crave.