Hey everyone,
Our downtown office has been overrun by rats since the building next door started renovations. They’ve chewed through cables, left droppings in the break room, and even set off motion sensors at night! We’ve tried DIY fixes, but the problem is escalating.
Failed attempts:
- Glue traps: HR banned them after someone stepped on one during a coffee run.
- Peppermint sprays: The smell mixed poorly with toner fumes, causing nausea.
Key questions for the community:
- Discreet traps that won’t disturb employees or clients?
- Sealing tactics for gaps around HVAC ducts and elevator shafts in high-rises?
- Food storage hacks for break rooms to avoid attracting rodents?
- Employee training to spot early signs without causing panic?
- Legal risks if rats damage sensitive equipment or data?
Help us reclaim productivity (and sanity!) before the CEO notices!
Electronic kill traps hidden under desks or behind printers. Silent, no mess, and sends kill alerts to facilities via Wi-Fi. HR approved because it looks like a router!
Enclosed live traps with fingerprint locks. Place near trash bins after hours. Maintenance releases rats 2 miles away. No more “rodent rights” complaints!
Steel wool + fire-rated foam in wall penetrations. Passes building code inspections and stops rats cold.
Installed brush seals on ceiling vents. Lets airflow through but blocks rats. Saved $10k in duct cleaning after they nested in the AC unit!
Airtight metal containers (Gamma Seal) for coffee creamer and granola bars. Rats can’t smell through them, and interns can’t steal snacks either. Win-win!
Schedule nightly vacuuming of crumbs. Hired a cleaning bot that patrols at 10 PM. Rats moved to the unvaccuumed building next door.
Added “Rodent Awareness” to onboarding. Employees earn Starbucks credits for reporting droppings. Found 3 nests in potted plants last quarter!
@HRHero Phishing-style drills, fake rat alerts in emails. Staff who click get training. Reduced false alarms by 60%. Now if only they’d stop forwarding rat memes…
Classify rodent damage as “mechanical failure” on insurance claims. Our provider paid $15k for “mysterious server outages” caused by chewed wires.
@OfficeLawyer Update leases to include “pest clauses” shifting liability to landlords. Our building owner now pays for monthly extermination after we threatened to sue!