Wasp Control for Elsenham Restaurants, Pubs and Commercial Premises

A canteen that serves large numbers of staff is a sugar source, and a nest outside the building can send wasps in at every meal break.

A canteen at peak times

On a site with shift work, the canteen fills up at the same times every day. Trays of food, hot drinks, desserts and soft drinks pass through the room in a short time, with doors opening and closing continuously. In summer, wasps use the same doors.

The workers who eat there may be stung on the way in or out, or find a wasp in a drink. On a busy site, an incident such as this can reduce morale and, in some cases, work flow.

Agency and temporary staff add to the risk, as they have not been told about local conditions. A short briefing sheet that covers the nest, the closed door and the first aider should be part of the induction pack during the wasp season.

A canteen also brings the possibility of food storage in the building. Sacks of sugar, syrup dispensers and boxes of confectionery in the store should be kept sealed, and the store door should be closed unless someone is taking items in or out.

Routines for the canteen

Simple measures help the team who run the room:

• clear and wipe tables as soon as people leave
• keep bins lidded and emptied after every service
• keep dessert and fruit covered at the counter
• cover drinks dispensers and keep cups stacked in sealed holders
• clean spills immediately, especially sugary ones
• keep the outside door closed and use an inner door or curtain if possible

Staff should avoid carrying open drinks outside, and bins at the entrance should be emptied often.

Vending machines and water coolers in corridors deserve a check. A sticky floor beneath a machine or a stack of crushed cans nearby is an invitation. Ask the cleaning team to include them in their rounds, and to take full recycling bags out of the building rather than leaving them by the door.

If the canteen has an outside seating area or a bench for staff on warm days, treat it like a pub garden: bins nearby with lids, frequent wiping and no sweet drinks left standing. The cleaning contractor should include it in the daily list.

The outside of the building

Look at the building from the point of view of a wasp. Where is the warm wall, the roof edge, the bank, the hedge? Watch the entrance and delivery door at a quiet time. If the wasps seem to arrive from the same direction, look in that direction. Roof edges, cladding, cable trays, pipes, vents and ground holes are all possible.

On a larger site, ask security staff and the grounds team. They walk the perimeter and may already have noticed. A note from them about where and when they see wasps is worth having.

Do not disturb any suspect gap. A person near the building with a ladder is at risk.

Large buildings may have extractor outlets, cooling units and service ducts, any of which can have gaps. Note anything of this sort near the point where you see the most wasps, and mention it when you book.

Shift handovers and signs

A site with shifts can easily lose information. Add the nest to the shift handover notes and the noticeboard. State where it is, which door is closed and who has been called. Place cones and a sign at the affected area. Brief new staff, agency staff and visitors at induction.

If the canteen is run by a contractor, tell them the same day. They need to know so that they can adjust their routine.

If your building has a smoking area or an outdoor break space, include that in the plan too. Many people eat and drink outside in summer, and a quick check of benches and bins is worth adding to the cleaner’s list.

Booking

This service deals with wasp nests at homes and business premises. Same-day service is offered by the team, which is fully insured and open seven days a week. The charge for a nest is a fixed £90 and one visit is guaranteed. Another nest at the same property is £35 extra.

Phone 01245 327274 or send a request through the online booking form on the contact page. Say where the nest is, how the technician can reach the area and which times the canteen is quietest. If anyone on site is allergic to stings, tell the office so that the visit can be prioritised. You do not need to travel: the technician comes to the village and surrounding villages.

Where a site has a safety committee, put the nest on the agenda. It is a small item with a clear action, and it keeps everyone informed.

Health, safety and records

Your site will have its own first aid and incident procedures; use them. As a general guide, for a sting, wash the area, remove the sting if visible and apply a cold pack. Call 999 straight away for a widespread rash, dizziness, wheezing or difficulty breathing or swelling of the face, lips or throat. People with a known sting allergy should talk to their GP.

Depending on the weather, wasps start nests from late April. A short outside check in spring, as part of the facilities routine, is a sensible measure for a site in Elsenham or anywhere else.

It helps to keep the canteen and facilities teams in the same conversation. Wasps do not respect job titles, and a nest outside is affected by the kitchen practices inside. A joint walk round the building once a month in summer, with a short note afterwards, is a practical way to do it.

Insects that look more like bees than wasps should be reported to a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation. The technician treats wasps only.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Elsenham