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#1 Posted : 24 August 2001 15:23:00(UTC)
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Posted By Michael Webb Could anyone offer any advice for protecting workers from fleas when working in houses? Many thanks.
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#2 Posted : 25 August 2001 09:48:00(UTC)
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Posted By Nick Higginson Michael, Difficult one. I did work for a company that issued flea spray, but customers are not always happy when you start spraying their house with flea spray! Nick
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#3 Posted : 25 August 2001 17:03:00(UTC)
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Posted By Ashley Williams Michael, I'll presume that the property in question is one of your own housing stock in which case contact your local councils housing department and see what they are doing about the problem to their workers, other wise as its your stock use the flea spray as nick suggested after all youd only be looking after your tennants. Ashley
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#4 Posted : 26 August 2001 09:06:00(UTC)
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Posted By R.Woods There may be risks involved with using pesticides in peoples homes i.e it may trigger an attack for an asthma sufferer or an allergic skin reaction. I know it may sound a bit over the top but wouldn't PPE such as impervious plastic overalls and a spray down before taking them off do the trick.If it is said that wearing them is standard procedure them then it should minimise any outcry from irate tennants. This has been a big problem for building societies when they have had to inspect reposessed properties. How do rentokil deal with this problem? Robert Woods.
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#5 Posted : 28 August 2001 08:31:00(UTC)
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Posted By Robert K Lewis Flea bites are not normally a problem in occupied premises as they are already likely to have fed that day!! Unoccupied properties do need something like disposable overalls and wellingtons. The sprays have little immediate effect and good policy for such people is to use one of the long term carpet treatments, talk to a local vet. This applies to visitors to occupied and unoccupied properties. Remember keep ovveralls outside boots and tape off at the bottom. Disposable overshoes are available but they are not particularly durable. Of course you could select non allergic operatives etc but I don't know of any way to find these!! (tongue in cheek) Only 5% I think it is are adult fleas the reat are larvae and eggs. It is the adults and newly adult fleas that bite and the vibration of footfall is a dinner bell to hungry fleas.
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#6 Posted : 28 August 2001 12:56:00(UTC)
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Posted By Frank Cooper Michael, There is not an easy solution to this problem. I know that our local council arrange for fumigation of empty houses to bring infestation under control. However, the situation with occupied property is somewhat different - no one likes to be told that their house is infested, whether it comes from animals or any other source.There is still this association with "a dirty house" when talking about fleas, which may not be the reason at all. I think I would be talking to my Local Environmental Health people at the council to seek advice with this problem. Hope this helps, Frank Cooper
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#7 Posted : 28 August 2001 13:07:00(UTC)
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Posted By Robert K Lewis I've realised that I didn't say that the spray is for the inside of vehicles used Bob
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#8 Posted : 28 August 2001 14:46:00(UTC)
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Posted By Judy Whitfield Yes fleas are as problem but so is the spray! Most insecticides are organo-phosphate based, so COSHH assessments and precautions are required. Good luck
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