An industrial building specializing in the manufacture of metal components in Saint-Constant, on the South Shore, had been facing a growing infestation of rock pigeons in its production halls for several months. The management had tried to repel the birds by its own means, without success. Droppings on machines and conveyors created risks of contamination of the parts produced and represented a safety problem at work. Our team of exterminators in Saint-Constant was hired to carry out a targeted intervention taking into account the plant’s operational constraints.
Risk analysis and response planning
The technician in charge first held a coordination meeting with the operations manager and the occupational health and safety (OHS) manager to clearly identify the constraints: time slots available for the intervention, sensitive areas that must be protected, and insurance requirements in terms of documentation of the work.
Inspection of the premises revealed that pigeons entered the halls mainly through two large loading bays left open in summer and through cracks in the sheet metal panels of the ridge. Inside, the birds perched on overhead cranes, compressed air ducts and high-rise structures, from where they directly soiled the equipment below. This vertical contamination profile is particularly problematic in an industrial environment. Our pest control program has been designed with these specificities in mind.
Capture and relocation of birds present
Prior to the installation of permanent exclusion devices, it was necessary to reduce the bird population inside the building. Our team deployed approved trap cages baited with grain, placed high up on the structures of the framework. Within a few days of trapping, the majority of the resident pigeons were captured. The birds were then relocated to a sufficient distance from the site, in accordance with recommended practices for our animal capture and relocation service.
This preliminary phase is important: installing deterrents while birds are still inside the building would only trap them, aggravating the problem. The capture-first, second-to-exclusion sequence is the best practice in all mandates in a secure environment.
Closure of access and permanent exclusion
The exclusion work focused mainly on the identified entry points. For the loading bays, we proposed and installed industrial curtains with transparent PVC strips that allow the passage of forklifts while effectively blocking birds. These curtains are a popular solution in industrial settings because they do not hinder logistics and at the same time provide an effective physical barrier.
The cracks in the ridge panels were sealed with galvanized sheet-compatible roofing putty and replacement sheet metal parts where the damage was too extensive for simple caulking. Anti-perch spikes have been installed on accessible compressed air ducts and beams, while tensioned wires have been put in place on overhead cranes to prevent perching on this critical equipment.
Decontamination of production areas
The decontamination mobilized a team of three technicians for a full weekend so as not to interfere with production. All machines and conveyors located under the perching areas have been cleaned and disinfected with products compatible with metal surfaces and in line with the requirements of the manufacturing industry.
The high-rise structures (overhead cranes, framework) were treated with a dry steam jet to remove the encrusted droppings without using excess water, which is important in an environment with electrical components and precision machinery. Our achievements, such as our intervention in a large industrial warehouse and our exclusion mandate in the manufacturing environment , illustrate our mastery of these demanding environments.
At the end of the work, the plant management was able to resume production in a healthy environment. The OHS manager has integrated the annual verification of the bird control devices into his preventive maintenance schedule. Our certified extermination experts remain available for any follow-up or additional intervention needs on the Saint-Constant site and its surroundings.