Safety Policies and Procedures Manual
Chapter 6: Public Health and Environmental Quality
Pest Control
SPPM 6.30
For more information contact:
Environmental Health and Safety
509-335-3041
Facilities Services
509-335-9000
Public Safety
509-335-8548
Overview
When rodents, insects, or other pests, including birds or bats, infest or inhabit University locations, University departments are to implement the following pest control procedures.
Other wild and domesticated animals are covered under SPPM 6.28: Animal Control.
Pest Control
In Whitman County
University departments in Whitman County must contact the applicable office as specified in SPPM 6.30 Appendix 1: Pest Control Call List and Bat Response—Whitman County to request pest control services.
WSU Spokane, WSU Tri-Cities, WSU Vancouver, and WSU Everett
WSU Spokane, WSU Tri-Cities, WSU Vancouver, and WSU Everett departments must contact the campus Facilities or Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) departments for pest control services.
Obtaining Pest Control Specialist/Contractor Services
In Whitman County
WSU personnel in Whitman County must refer to the contact list and guidelines in Appendix 1 to request assistance from the appropriate pest control specialist or contractor.
Public and Common Area Spaces
Facilities Services and EH&S evaluate Whitman County areas. After evaluation, including possible consultation with an outside contractor, Facilities Services and EH&S determine if treatments are feasible and who would be financially responsible.
If treatments are determined to be feasible and effective, Facilities Services pays pest control contractor treatment charges for public access and common areas (e.g., classrooms, public restrooms).
Departmental Spaces
If treatments are determined to be feasible and effective, Facilities Services pays pest control contractor treatment charges for departmental areas in Whitman County where the department was not responsible or negligent for the infestation.
If personnel cause a pest problem in a departmental space, their department is responsible for paying for the pest control contractor. The responsible department is also responsible for treatment charges if the infestation spreads to other departments or areas.
WSU Pullman has contracts with local vendors for pest control. (See BPPM 70.19.) A departmental official with purchasing authority submits a supplier invoice to Payment Services following the Workday submission guidelines. (See the Invoice Submission to Payment Services Workday reference guide.)
Housing, Dining, and University Recreation Spaces
For pests in Housing, Dining, and University Recreation facilities in Whitman County, departments and/or personnel are to contact Auxiliary Facilities Services; telephone 509-335-1541.
EH&S
EH&S maintains a WSU Pest Control Program Document that describes roles and responsibilities regarding pest control in Whitman County. EH&S also maintains a call list to help coordinate WSU departments, local agencies, and contractors who provide pest control services. To access the program document, contact EH&S. To view the call list, see SPPM 6.30 Appendix 1.
Outside of Whitman County
Departments and/or personnel at University locations outside of Whitman County are to contact the campus or station facilities department to request pest control. The campus or station facilities department dispatches the appropriate contractor or personnel to provide assistance.
WSU Spokane
WSU Spokane Facilities pays pest control contractor investigation and treatment charges related to control of pests in all WSU Spokane public access, common, and departmental spaces.
Note: WSU Spokane departments are responsible for paying for pest control contractor investigation and treatment charges if the departments, deliberately or by negligence, cause the pest problems.
WSU Tri-Cities
WSU Tri-Cities Facilities pays pest control contractor investigation and treatment charges related to control of pests in all WSU Tri-Cities public access, common, and departmental spaces.
Note: WSU Tri-Cities departments are responsible for paying for pest control contractor investigation and treatment charges if the departments or department staff, deliberately, repeatedly, or by negligence, cause the pest problems.
WSU Vancouver
WSU Vancouver Facilities Services pays required pest control contractor investigation and treatment charges related to control of pests in all WSU Vancouver public access, common, and departmental spaces. Contact WSUV Facilities Services for assistance; telephone 360-546-9706 or 360-546-9000.
WSU Everett
WSU Everett Facilities provides pest control investigation and treatment related to control of pests in all WSU Everett public access, common, and departmental spaces.
Birds or Bats in Building
For birds or bats in buildings, departments must contact the campus public safety office. The campus public safety office contacts campus EH&S, Facilities, and other applicable departments to assist with removal.
Exceptions:
- For bats in buildings in Whitman County, departments must follow the bat response contact procedures in Appendix 1.
- For bats or birds in buildings at WSU Spokane, departments should contact Facilities; telephone 509-358-7994. Departments may contact Campus Safety and Security after hours; telephone 509-358-7995 (or dial #40 from campus telephones).
See also SPPM 6.35.
Appendix 1: Pest Control Call List–Whitman County
Note:: Housing and Dining Services units call 509-335-1541 for all wild or domesticated animals.
| Pest | Inside Building Business Hours |
Inside Building Non-Business Hours |
Outside Building Business Hours |
Outside Building Non-Business Hours |
|
Ants |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
|
Bats |
Refer to response procedures below |
Refer to response procedures below |
Refer to response procedures below |
Refer to response procedures below |
|
Bedbugs |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Bees / Wasps |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
Facilities Services Public Safety EH&S |
EH&S Grounds Entomology |
Facilities Services Public Safety EH&S |
|
Birds (alive) |
1. Public Safety 2. EH&S |
Public Safety 509-335-8548 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
Public Safety 509-335-8548 |
|
Bird droppings |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
|
Birds (dead) |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
|
Cockroaches |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Fleas |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Flies |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Mice / Rats |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
|
Miscellaneous bugs |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
|
Silverfish |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Spiders |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
|
Termites |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
EH&S 509-335-3041 |
N/A |
N/A |
WSU Bat Response Roles and Responsibilities in Whitman County
Rabies is the main concern with bats. A rabies exposure includes bites, scratches, and fresh wounds or mucous membranes contaminated with the bat’s saliva or neural tissue. Touching animal fur, blood, urine, or feces is not a rabies exposure. In addition, exposure must be assumed when a bat is found in a room with a person who cannot say that exposure did not occur (e.g., sleeping person, unattended infant or child, intoxicated adult, etc.). Bat bites may not leave visible marks. For more detailed recommendations for bats, and assessing exposure, refer to the Washington Department of Health (DOH) Rabies website.
Facilities Services
During business hours Facilities Services contacts Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) and provides the reporting party’s contact information. During non-business hours Facilities Services contact an EH&S employee on the emergency call list and provide the reporting party’s contact information.
Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S)
EH&S contacts the reporting party to determine exact location of the bat and helps determine if a suspected bat exposure occurred. (Note: Bites, scratches, and fresh wounds or mucous membranes contaminated with the bat’s saliva or neural tissue are considered types of exposure. Touching of fur, blood, urine, or feces is not an exposure.) If a suspected exposure occurs, immediately contact the Whitman County Health Department (WCHD); telephone 509-397-6280. If WCHD is unavailable, contact the Washington State Department of Health; telephone 877-539-4344.
EH&S then contacts the appropriate personnel and/or WSU departments. as noted below, to secure the area, capture, remove and release, or humanely destroy bats as necessary.
- Instructional laboratory Supervisor
School of Biological Sciences
509-335-3516 (business hours)
509-432-5021 (nonbusiness hours) - Pullman Animal Control
509-332-2521 - Campus Veterinarian
509-335-6246
509-330-1871 - EH&S
509-335-3041 - Public Safety
509-335-8548
(secure area/open windows)
Public Safety
Public Safety only secures the area to prevent potential rabies exposures, and/or opens windows/doors to allow the bat to leave on its own.
Officers must not physically remove the bat or come in contact with the bat unless they have had rabies vaccinations, and wear gloves or use other methods without direct hand contact with the bat.
Campus Veterinarian
The Campus Veterinarian works with the WSU department to capture, remove, and release, or humanely destroy bats as appropriate.
Instructional Laboratory Supervisor, School of Biological Sciences
The Instructional Laboratory Supervisor, School of Biological Sciences works with the WSU department to capture, remove, and release, or humanely destroy bats as appropriate.
Disposal of Bats and Cleanup
If possible, save the dead bat for the Instructional Laboratory Supervisor’s research. Otherwise, dead bats must be disposed of as biohazard waste (contact WSU Waste Management at 509-335-4530) unless rabies is suspected. If rabies is suspected, contact the Whitman County Health Department or WA State Department of Health for more information.
Occasionally bats release guano (feces) when captured. If so, refer to the EH&S Bird and Bat Waste fact sheet for cleanup instructions.
_______________________
Revisions: Nov. 2021 (Rev. 132); Oct. 2020 (Rev. 126); Apr. 2014 (Rev. 100); Nov. 2011 (Rev. 93); Jan. 2005 (Rev. 57); Jan. 1996 (Rev. 14); Dec. 1989 (Rev. 7); Sept. 1986 – new policy (Rev. 2).