Safety Precautions in Bird Roosts

Here are some safety precautions to follow when disturbing or cleaning out bird (or bat) roosts:

• Wear a respirator equipped with a high efficiency (HE) 100 series filter (purple) to block particles down to 0.3 microns to protect yourself from airborne spores and cells.
• Wear protective gloves, hat, coveralls and boots. Disposable gear is best.
• Turn off any and all HVAC systems in the area.
• Wet down the droppings to keep spores and cells from becoming airborne. Keep the droppings wet at all times. If you notice dust becoming airborne, use an electric “fogger” to spray water into the air to settle out airborne dust particles and any spores that might be present.
• Put the wet droppings into sealed plastic garbage bags and wet down the outside of the bags.
• When finished, and while still wearing the respirator, walk away from the site, remove protective clothing and place it in a plastic bag. If disposable protective clothing is not used, reusable clothing should be kept wet at all times until it is washed. There is some risk to the person washing the clothes and this is another reason why disposable clothing is best.
• Dispose of trash bags. Disposal should be permitted in the local landfill. To avoid potential dispersal of spores along the road, bags should be transported whole and sealed, not left for trash pickup where they could be broken by compacting inside a standard trash truck.
• Wash up or shower on site.
• Wash off your respirator.