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School IPM Best Practices

Indoor BMPs: Locker Rooms, Gyms, Boiler Rooms, Crawl Spaces

Best Management Practices for Locker Rooms, Gyms, Boiler Rooms, and Crawl Spaces

Integrated pest management reduces pest problems by combining inspections, pest knowledge, control tactics, monitoring, recordkeeping, and communication and by using methods that minimize environmental, health, and economic risks. IPM practices such as sanitation reduce pest habitat inside buildings, while exclusion keeps them out. Success of an IPM program can be enhanced by including faculty, students, staff, and administration as part of the solution.

Exclusion:

  • Seal gaps where utility lines (water pipes, electricity) enter the building and between rooms
  • Seal all cracks and gaps in foundations, windows, door jambs, and vents
  • Inspect incoming packages, equipment, and handcarts for pests
  • Keep window screens in good repair (no holes or tears)
  • Keep plant material and mulch away from the foundation
  • Keep outdoor garbage receptacles 50 feet or more from the building (or as far as possible)

Sanitation:

  • Identify and eliminate water sources such as leaking pipes, clogged drains, and missing tile grout
    • Insulate pipes that accumulate condensation (sweat)
    • Increase ventilation in damp areas
  • Keep floor drains clean and free of debris
  • Keep sinks, garbage cans, workspaces, and equipment clean
  • Reduce clutter, cardboard, and paper that provide cover for pests
  • Keep shelves organized and clean
    • Do not stack cardboard boxes on shelves
  • Clean up spilled food
  • Institute a no-food policy for lockers
  • Empty garbage every day and dispose outside the building

Common Pests

Resources (PDFs)

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