The following sections address many of the questions raised by agency HR, facilities, safety and health staff, and employees about issues that can arise in connection with the presence of bed bugs in an office setting. For general information about bed bugs and their prevention and remediation, please consult the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) website on this topic (www.nyc.gov\/bedbugs). <\/p>\n
What steps can be taken in the workplace to prevent bed bug infestations? <\/p>\n
Bed bugs can be easily transported from the home to the workplace by employees and visitors. Since it would be impossible to screen everyone entering the workplace, the best preventive measures are education and observation. All employees should be encouraged to visit the DOHMH bed bug website to learn how to identify bed bugs and how to address infestations at home. Employees should be diligent in recognizing signs of bed bugs at home or at work, so that remedial measures can be taken quickly to prevent their spread to other locations. Eliminating clutter in the workplace can also make it much easier to locate any bed bugs that may be present. <\/p>\n
Should employees be permitted to bring in alcohol sprays and baking soda into the office as possible preventive measures? <\/p>\n
Neither alcohol nor baking soda has been demonstrated to be effective in preventing bed bug infestations, and they should not be used for that purpose. Under no circumstances should employees be permitted to use alcohol sprays or any type of pesticide in the office. Only licensed exterminators are permitted to apply pesticides under strictly regulated conditions. <\/p>\n
What are the first steps to be taken when a report has been made that bed bugs have been found in the workplace? <\/p>\n
The first step in an agency's investigation of a report of bed bugs is to determine, to the extent possible, the nature of, and the scope of the bed bug presence. If the insect(s) in question can be caught, a positive identification should be made, as it is very common for beetles or other types of pests to be mistaken for bed bugs. It is important to be aware that not all bugs are bed bugs: DOHMH provides a service for identification, with guidelines on how to submit samples (see attachment). <\/p>\n
If a bed bug has been found, the work location should be carefully inspected for any additional signs. Very often a stray bed bug or two may enter the workplace by any number of means, and immediate assessment and treatment by an exterminator, as necessary, can resolve the problem before it becomes more serious. However, if numerous bed bugs have been found, or if there are repeated occurrences, a more serious condition may exist which warrants further investigation and more extensive remediation. The agencys exterminator may use a variety of means to inspect the workplace, including the use of properly trained bed bug detector dogs. <\/p>\n
How can my agency determine the source of a bed bug in the workplace? <\/p>\n
While agency visitors or clients may sometimes introduce bed bugs into the workplace, very often their presence can be traced to an individual employee, based upon reports and observations from co-workers and\/or a physical inspection of the work area. The process of identifying the source of the problem can often be difficult, especially as confidentiality issues may arise during the investigation process. <\/p>\n
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