30.10.2020, 00:36

Rodent-Proofing Loading Bays

Service Provider News, United Kingdom, Pest Control

Rentokil Pest Control's new Flexi Armour Dock pest proofing product is designed for installation to dock levellers in the loading bays warehouses, supermarkets and distribution centres.

 

An analysis of data from the company's PestConnect digital pest management system has revealed that over 30 per cent of infestations occurring in these locations originate in the loading bay area. Rentokil also surveyed 121 of its frontline pest technicians across the country to understand how and why rodent problems occur in business premises. Ninety per cent reported that customers who experienced infestations had rarely fully rodent-proofed premises.

 

Dock levellers are a key contributor to rodent intrusions because the gaps around them are large enough to allow rodent ingress. They also provide the pests with safe harbourage and nesting materials, from litter and debris that has also fallen through the gaps.

 

Exclusive to Rentokil Pest Control, Flexi Armour Dock is made from a combination of Kevlar and knitted steel mesh, materials that are proven to be too strong for rodents to be able to gnaw through. It is designed to cope with the frequent operation of dock levellers and can be installed in a wide variety of sizes.

 

In addition to Flexi Armour Dock, facilities managers should also consider Flexi Armour Expansion Proofing, which can help to fill expansion joints in floors and walls of buildings or factories. These expansion gaps can act as rodent ‘superhighways’ and should be addressed when pest proofing a premises. Flexi Armour Expansion consists of a knitted steel mesh and a hard setting Epoxy Resin to close the top of the expansion joint – this prevents rodent access, but enables the joint to expand and contract as required.

 

Paul Blackhurst, Head of Technical Academy at Rentokil Pest Control explains: "As rodents seek shelter indoors during the colder months, we recommend facilities managers take the time to check the pest proofing of their premises.

 

"Dock levellers have traditionally been a challenge to pest proof as their constant raising and lowering creates a natural gap which rodents can explore. Flexi Armour Dock is the newest and smartest solution on the market for businesses looking to prevent rodent ingress. It saves time and money by reducing the frequency of cleaning required underneath a dock, and significantly helps to reduce access points to the wider premises.

 

"We recommend using Flexi Armour Dock in tandem with PestConnect, our digital pest management system. PestConnect provides 24/7 monitoring and rapid response, giving the business and pest controllers precise information on exactly where, when and how rodents are trying to enter a premises. This is an effective and sustainable approach to pest management and control as it reduces reliance on rodenticides and the need for pest controllers to frequently visit a site to check for signs of activity."

 

Visit https://www.rentokil.co.uk/pest-control/flexi-armour-rodent-proofing/dock-leveller-rodent-proofing/.