Keeping Warehouses & Industrial Buildings Free of Birds

Birds can create a significant challenge to efforts to keep warehouses safe and healthy for people and products.

When birds find their way into warehouses and become trapped, they can spread illnesses such as salmonella, E. coli, and potentially deadly upper respiratory infections through their waste.

Birds often roost and nest in rafters and other hidden spaces, with their waste falling onto the areas below. Birds that become trapped can also die and decay unnoticed in hidden or unreachable places.

From contaminated products to structural damage to roofs and ventilation systems, birds cause an estimated $30-$50 million in damage to warehouses annually.

It’s an expensive problem, especially as the number of warehouses grows across the country. Over the past 10 years, the number of warehouses in the U.S. has grown to over 19,000, accounting for over 10 billion square feet of space and employing more than 7 million people.

Warehouse sanitation issues threaten employee health, product safety and can leave a business in violation of regulations including Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safe workplace requirements.

How to Prevent Expensive & Unsanitary Bird Problems in Your Warehouse

While dealing with birds can be a complex problem, there are measures you can implement to prevent bird intrusion and the resulting spread of disease in your facility:

• Birds tend to remain where food is plentiful, so implement a company policy that restricts eating and food disposal to designated areas like the lunchroom or outdoors.
• Keep doors closed when not in use, including dock doors – leaving doors open, especially in spring, is like rolling out the red carpet for nesting birds.
• Remove all visible signs of birds and sanitize the area. This includes droppings, feathers, and nesting materials.
• Eliminate non-essential landscaping around the facility, especially near doors. Such areas provide hiding places for birds and make it easier for them to enter your building.
• Consider installing bird removal, deterrents, and exclusion systems, such as shock track, in areas where birds frequently gather.

Addressing bird issues can seem daunting, but help is available. At Rusty’s Animal Control, our team of experts can work with you to evaluate your situation and develop a cost-effective solution for keeping your warehouse bird-free.

Start addressing your bird problems today with a site evaluation from Rusty’s Animal Control.

Learn More About Bird Management