Rodent Control: Keeping a construction site clear of rats.

1. Rodent Control on a Construction Site
At A Glance
Location: Newbury Berkshire Problem: Rodent Protection
Structure: Luxury Flat Development Solution: Rodent Bait Stations
Overview
Whenever a major building project is undertaken, inevitably there will be an infestation of rodents at
some point of the project.
If an old building is being demolished, chances are there is a rodent population that will be displaced.
Also as the building site becomes established, portable site accommodation like site offices, canteen,
toilet blocks etc. will be deployed offering an idea habitat for rodent activities.
One such site is a major development of luxury flats in Newbury, Berkshire. Due to the rural location of
this site, rodent activity was expected on a large scale, so Rapid Environmental Services were called
upon to provide protection to the site and its workers during the ongoing construction of these
buildings.
The Problem
With a rural location, 300+ workers on site and multiple site offices across several acres, the site offered
a perfect habitat. Rodents were spotted very early in the life of the site, so controlling the existing
insurgent population, and then ensuring prevention of further infestations was vital.
The Challenge
The challenges faced were:
 A very mobile site with lots of activity going on means that rodents can soon move, so getting the
correct number of stations in the right place is vital
 Site Safety – as this is a live working site, all safety measures need to be in place to protect our
workforce
 Responding quickly to moves of site huts etc. This is a large site and the site buildings are moved
frequently
 Maintaining vigilance for signs of rodent activity, with such a large site rodents can soon become
hidden and there activity may go unnoticed.

2. The Solution
This solution called for the deployment of suitable tamper proof rodent bait stations loaded with a
suitable rodenticide bait to offer a food source and poison the rodents. With all the activity on such a
busy site, bait stations needed to be deployed at possible entry points, around the main site office
blocks but most importantly where possible food sources may be found like the canteen block and
waste bin areas.
During our planned visits, we monitored the activity at each baiting station, as well as looking for
obvious signs around the building like rodent faeces, chewing and tracks. We also monitored the
rubbish left around the site and reported areas of concern to the site manager.
Communication is a key factor in delivering a successful solution, so regular reporting and updates are
provided, as well as feedback from the client whether any activity has been seen and the location of any
problems.
The Result
The site has been rodent-free since the implementation of our rodent control program. Some sightings
have been made as expected, however our technicians are on site very quickly to deal with any
potential problem.
The client has been very satisfied with the results and has protected his workforce from the potential
issue leptospirosis, more commonly known as Weil’s disease and other diseases spread by rodents.
Web: www.rapid-esl.co.uk
Tel: 01635 247192