Whether you are a commercial property owner, manager, or employee, there are some important facts you need to know about bat infestations and the Department of Health. Continue reading to learn these facts and more.
The Department of Health
Your state’s Department of Health is a government entity dedicated to communicable disease prevention and health endorsement. They set strict regulations on clean water, air, streets, environment, and more. Overall, they work toward protecting the public from potential health threats. When it comes to commercial settings, like places of employment, bat infestations are consider such a threat.
Bat Infestations
Bats are mammals that can carry and transmit a wide range of diseases and unsanitary health implications. Not only are they known carriers of the Rabies virus, which is 100% fatal to this day, they can also contract and spread Histoplasmosis, a serious lung infection that causes severe respiratory complications. Histoplasmosis is caused by fungal spores that develop on bat guano (droppings). These spores can then become airborne and travel through ducts, spreading to the common areas of the building.
Resolve Bat Problems Promptly
Business Owners:
If you are a commercial property or business owner, it is important that you resolve a bat infestation as soon as possible. Otherwise, you could face certain legal ramifications. An employee can report you to the Department of Health if a bat problem is not managed within a reasonable amount of time.
Employees:
If you are an employee of a company that has a bat infestation at large, you have the right to take this concern to your supervisor. And if they fail to resolve the issue in a timely manner, you also have the right to report the infestation to your state’s Department of Health.
Do Not Worry
The penalties for being reported to the Department of Health are not too harsh. Generally, business owners are given a warning to get the problem under control, and if they do not do so properly within the time frame given, they will likely be fined. Fines can be heavy, much higher than the cost to solve a bat infestation, so it is wiser to deal with the problem rather than waiting to be reported.