Coronavirus Information Updates

Coronavirus Updates – Owl Pest Control

(Last update: 05/02/2021)

On behalf of Owl Pest Control we hope you, your families & colleagues are keeping well & safe during this difficult period.

Protecting your family, home and business is at the heart of everything we do, and the safety of our customers, employees and community will always be our first priority. While the Coronavirus is starting to have a bigger impact in our service areas, we have taken additional steps to make sure that we will keep providing our essential services to protect your family, home and business safely and without interruption.

1. Pest Control Visits – Strict Measures at Client’s Premises

In order to mitigate the risk of Coronavirus, & keep everyone, families & friends safe our Service Technicians are adhering strictly to HSE Guidelines (www.hse.ie) & Irish Government for the safety & well being of everyone.

• Our technicians are exercising social distancing at all times during the course of these necessary strict practices during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
• They are wearing necessary protective equipment & have the relevant anti-bactericide product with them at all times.
• In order for our technicians to safely attend call outs, customers/residents & tenant(s) must also exercise the ‘social distancing measures’ as per HSE  guidelines during the treatment’
• Some Callouts & Rodent Routines inspections will go ahead as planned in the interest of Public Health & Safety.
• Other call-outs are postponed if they are NOT posing a health threat to persons. We will give advice to customers over the phone on how to manage the situation themselves for the time being.  We appraise each situation on a case by case process and ALWAYS in the best interest of the customer/residents.
• Signatures are NOT requested/obtained & reports are NOT printed for any customer at the moment as part of our temporary/altered measures to mitigate the risk of Coronavirus.  We will continue to email the reports to Clients as usual. For the duration of the pandemic residents/tenants will also receive their report by email to ensure they have access to the recommendations provided as well as a summary of the actions taken and chemicals used during treatment. If you have any queries or concerns at any time, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to help.

With our pest professionals regularly visiting client’s premises, it is necessary to follow best practice.

• Owl Pest Control upholds the highest compliance standards and ensures training of all our staff and equipment to operate to the highest sanitation and hygiene levels.
• Our staff only need to stay away from public places (self-isolate) if advised to by the HSE online coronavirus service or a medical professional.
• Any staff presenting symptoms after travel into infected areas or exposure to infected persons will go in quarantine for 2 weeks.

Owl Pest Control technical staff have received Covid-19 training and are under strict instructions to:

• Often wash their hands with soap and water (for at least 20 seconds)
  
• Avoid handshaking or other physical contacts
• Always wash their hands when getting home or into work
• Wash their hands before and after visiting a client’s site
• Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• Cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or their sleeve (not their hands) when they cough or sneeze
• Put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash their hands afterwards
• Try avoiding close contact with people who are unwell
• Not to touch their eyes, nose or mouth if their hands are not clean
• Pay particular attention to situations where they are undertaking actions where items may have passed through many hands, e.g. cash handling.
• (From March 9th) Sign the Service Reports on behalf of the customer (pp) instead of handing their phone to customers
• Email all reports where possible to avoid handling of paper reports.
• Use an increased amount of Personal Protective Equipment, particularly N95 and FFP3 face masks.

Customers may assist us by:

• Exercising strict hygiene practices including disinfecting door handles/surfaces etc. for the protection of their own families, our technicians & their families.
• Avoid physical contact with our staff (e.g. no handshake) and keep some  “social distance” i.e. 2 metres where possible.
• Visiting & acquaint themselves with the advice provided by the HSE.

We appreciate our customers’ assistance in this matter.

If an employee of Owl Pest Control displays symptoms consistent with Coronavirus, we will follow best practice guidance, as per advice from the HSE.

2. Operations and Pest Control Supplies Continuity

We have completed a Business Continuity Planning Checklist and have implemented additional health and safety measures throughout our company to mitigate the risk of Covid-19.

Online Product Sales: Until further notice or shortage of supplies Owl Pest Control is maintaining its service including delivery and returns of products to all parts of Ireland, both North and South. We take our role in the protection of Public Health very seriously and will be doing our utmost to support businesses and households during these testing times.

Owl Pest Control has the ability to provide flexible working solutions. Even with possible office shut down we can remotely stay open for business and will continue to provide services to all our Clients through our field technicians. We are working with our suppliers on a regular basis to monitor the COVID-19 situation to ensure minimum disruption and continued service to all of our customers.

3. Rules to Access Office and Trade Counter

COVID-19 is thought to be highly infectious, surviving on some surfaces for around 72 hours. Cleanliness and hygiene provisions should be at the forefront of planning for the virus. Health and safety of staff and visitors is at the forefront of Owl’s concerns.

We have implemented the following:

• All staff & visitors must sanitise their hands every time they enter our office, from any entrance
• Sanitiser gels and tissues are available for staff and visitors
• Discarding of tissues immediately in a closable rubbish container
• Routine clean of all frequently touched surfaces in the workplace, such as workstations, keyboards, phones, countertops, and doorknobs. We use the cleaning agents that are usually used in these areas and follow the directions on the label.
• Hand towels and tea towels are now replaced by disposables paper towels, with hand gel and wipes available close by
• Any visitor attending our premises may have to complete a screening questionnaire prior to the visit
• Reduction of the number of contractors entering our site
• No contact with delivery drivers and social distancing in force in and around the office.

4. Our Covid-19 Policies

We have carried out extensive work to protect ourselves and our customers from the risks of Covid-19. Our policies include:

1. Covid-19 Policy Response Plan
2. Coronavirus Risk Assessment – Office
3. Coronavirus Risk Assessment – Mobile Workers
4. Covid-19 Cleaning schedule
5. Pre-Return to Work Questionnaire (Employees)
6. Employee Contact Tracing Logbook
7. Covid-19 Visitor Questionnaire
8. Suspected Cases of Covid-19 Policy
9. Visitor Sign-In Log Book

5. What is Next?

We know the comfort and safety of your family is more important now than ever before. Pest activity doesn’t stop during these hard times and neither will we.

We are continuing to monitor the situation closely and adhere to Government and HSE guidelines & instructions. We will provide updates on this page if any further information comes to light which may impact Owl Pest Control’s operations.

Our Service Desk is available to assist you with any pest control queries 09.00hrs to 17.00hrs Monday to Friday. Outside these hours please email: info@owlpestcontrol.ie

In the meantime stay safe & look after one another!