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Bed Bug Personal Protection Overview …because you really don’t want to bring bed bugs back to your car, office, or home
Lauren Goltz, ACVCSD
Steps to prevent the spread of bed bugs:
•Attend training! •Take precautions before and during
inspections▫Ask questions▫Bring minimal items inside ▫Develop and maintain a bed bug kit▫Be aware of your surroundings and client
cues •Containment of bed bugs post-inspection
Precautions and preparations:•Before inspections, talk to your clients•Ask questions regarding insects in the
home Previous infestation or treatment for any
pests, including bed bugs? Are they currently or have they previously
received insect bites in the home?
** Phone or email consultation is a vital inspection step
Precautions and preparations
•Approach these questions in a compassionate yet matter-of-fact manner
•Goal: have an idea of what to expect when you enter the home
▫REMEMBER: You are asking not only to protect yourself, but to provide better service to clients
Precautions and preparations
•Two inspectors for bed bugs▫If bed bugs suspected, bring another
inspector Assist with inspection Assist with post-inspection bed bug
check
PPE kit for inspections
PPE kit for inspections:•A kit kept in your work vehicle will come
in handy
Minimal items inside:
•Avoid purses or satchels▫Use “fanny packs” or hip bags
•Use a clipboard▫Provides a writing surface which is not the client’s furniture
Levels of PPE
•PPE ranges from minimal▫Uniform with closed toed shoes
•To moderate ▫Tyvek boot covers and pants▫Permethrin-treated uniform
•To extreme▫Full Tyvek suit and boot covers
During the inspection:
•If no infestation is suspected, or a very low-level, shoe covers can be worn
During the inspection:•Minimize physical contact with
surroundings▫If an infestation is suspected or it is
necessary to move a client or their items, a disposable Tyvek suit can be worn
During the inspection•Begin inspection from outside of the home
During the inspection:•Observe your surroundings
▫Cluttered units make it more difficult to detect infestations
During the inspection:•Clients scratching, complaining of itching,
mentioning insects/bugs/mites ▫Red Flags:
Smashed bed bugs on the wall Clients bites
Post-inspection self-inspection:
Before entering your vehicle, check your clothing!
If Tyvek or boot covers worn,
remove inside-out and place in
trash bag or Ziploc bag
Post-inspection protection: •Clean items brought into office with
disinfecting wipes or rubbing alcohol▫Bed bug eggs are very tiny and sticky, bugs
mobile▫Pay particular attention to shoes/footwear
if Tyvek shoe covers not worn• Steri-Fab
Post-inspection•Send clothing items worn on inspection to
be professionally cleaned/dried▫Agencies will typically provide this service
or uniform service▫It is a courtesy to notify the uniform
cleaning service of bed bug contamination or if permethrin was used to treat the clothing
•If no washer or dryer available, the county should provide an in-house heater
So, I brought bed bugs home…
•After a bed bug call, entered county vehicle▫Tyvek boot covers were used and disposed
of in a sealed bag •No washer/dryer or heat treatment unit
available •Went home immediately to shower and
change
THIS WAS A VERY BAD IDEA!
What I should have done…
THEN
But since I didn’t…•Bites received that night•CimexTek hired
▫Two dogs, Max and Molly▫Rescue dogs
•No live bed bugs found•Cost was $175
In conclusion:
•Be aware of your surroundings! •Don’t underestimate bed bugs •Your personal safety is paramount
Thank you!