Risk of rats in construction
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
The brown rat, rattus norvegicus, is a UK rodent that is closely associated with human activity. Primary habitats include sewers, canals and rivers; however, they are often found in derelict sites or near readily accessible food sources. Rats can pose a risk to construction workers becuase of the frequency with which they may be in close proximity.
Construction work on greenfield sites can disturb rodent populations, as it can on brownfield sites, for example, when undertaking roadworks or demolishing or renovating old buildings. Construction sites with material storage, temporary offices and worker facilities, can become ideal harbourages for rodents.
Minimising the impact of rodents during construction requires that site managers recognise key signs of activity and that this is addressed quickly to prevent it from becoming a hazard.
Key signs of rat activity include:
- Chewed electrical cables, rubber pipework or pipe insulation.
- Rat droppings, usually around 20 mm long and found in groups.
- Walls with smudge marks or hairs caught on low-level brickwork.
- Scratching or scurrying noises in walls and above ceilings.
- Nests and piled-nest materials.
Surveyors should also look out for these key signs when carrying out a pre-assessment of likely hazards on sites and potential sites.
[edit] Infection
The primary health hazard posed by rats is Weil’s disease, a serious form of leptospirosis caused by exposure to rat’s urine containing the bacterium, through cuts, scratches and abrasions, and through the lining of the mouth, throat and eyes.
Symptoms are typically similar to flu at the outset – muscle cramps, nausea, headaches – but can cause jaundice, kidney failure, meningitis, and in some cases can be fatal. Other diseases that rats can transmit to humans include:
- Salmonellosis.
- Rat-bite fever.
- Listeria.
- Toxoplasmosis.
- Toxicaria.
It is possible to become infected even when rats are no longer present, and so workers must be cautious working in any areas with a high quantity of water or in derelict buildings.
[edit] Protecting against infection
There are several steps that can take to protect against infection:
- Ensuring that cuts, grazes or abrasions are covered with waterproof dressings.
- Using suitable safety gloves.
- Washing cuts with soap and running water before covering with dressings.
- Washing hands before eating, drinking or smoking, and avoiding hand-to-mouth contact.
- Avoiding cornering rats as they can jump.
- Avoiding touching a dead rat with unprotected hands.
- Seeking medical attention as soon as possible if symptoms of infection are experienced.
[edit] Structural damage
Rodents can also cause significant structural damage. They can undermine a building’s fabric and can damage drainage by burrowing between joints in the surrounding earth and behind brick sewers. They may cause flooding by damaging pipework, and can create fire hazards by damaging electrical wiring.
Preventive measures can include; placing fine mesh over air bricks to prevent rodent entry, closing off voids around ducts and other penetrations through the building fabric, properly capping drains, installing hinged plates in drains and sewers and so on.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Bird deterrent programmes.
- Construction site inspection.
- Dry rot fungus.
- First aider.
- Gnats.
- Hazardous substances.
- Health and safety.
- How to work safely on a construction site in winter.
- Japanese knotweed.
- Mitie - drone pest control inspection.
- Personal protective equipment.
- Site surveys.
- The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992.
- Weil's disease.
Featured articles and news
The continued ISG fall out, where to go?
Support for ISG contractors, companies and employees.
New HES national centre for traditional building retrofit
Announced as HES publishes survey results which reveal strong support for retrofit.
Retrofit of Buildings, a CIOB Technical Publication
Expected to become one of the largest activities in the global construction industry.
The ECA industry focus video channel
Keeping update with the industry session by session.
Over 25 recorded informations sessions freely available.
AT Awards 2024 ceremony East London October 25th.
Revisiting the AT community at the 2023 awards evening.
The Community Housing Fund and built affordable homes
CLTN reviews the impact of the Fund and calls for extension.
The grading system of the Regulator for Social Housing
A background, an explanation and ten recent enforcements.
Construction, repair and maintenance. Book review.
Putting new life into a city with a 1900 year history.
BSRIA Briefing 2024: Sustainable Futures speakers
Redefining Retrofit for Net Zero Living 22 Nov.
Wall of support for post-Grenfell regulation of electricians
Call for a shake-up of the construction industry highlighted on radio.
Digital sustainability through future AEC tools
Bringing together industry and academia to meet challenges.
Skills gap for net zero highlighted to Minister for Industry
ECA convenes roundtable discussion at Portcullis House.
Evidencing Net Zero with the new UK buildings standard
Pilot version with detailed excel proforma out now!
Scottish Building Safety Levy, in consultation
From direct remediation and the RPDT, to the costs and alternatives.
Waves of warmer homes grants for the rental sector
Boosting energy efficiency standards for all rented homes.
A refocus of the National Planning Policy Framework
Key terms described in brief, as the consultation closes the evening of the 24th.
Fortified farmhouses of the unruly 16th-and 17th-century borders.
Comments
Rats, being opportunistic creatures, are quick to exploit the nooks and crannies that come up during construction, posing not just infrastructural risks but also health concerns. Beyond the structural damages and potential delays they can cause, rats are vectors for diseases, which can be detrimental for both construction workers and future occupants of a building. As the article rightly points out, preventive measures are key. Services like Lakewood Exterminating play a crucial role in this aspect. They not only help in the extermination of these pests but can also advise on best practices to prevent future infestations. As the construction industry continues to grow and evolve, ensuring a rat-free environment should be of paramount importance, and experts from pest control services are indeed the unsung heroes in this endeavor.