All types of pesticides that are created come with warning labels and instructions that must be followed. Failure to follow the instructions properly can result in serious illness or even death to humans or animals that are exposed to the pesticides.
KTLA.com reported on November 19, 2012 that an employee at the Holiday Inn near the Los Angeles Airport became ill after he cleaned carpets in rooms that had been treated for bed bugs. The man claims to had had a “severe headache, a nose bleed, eye and skin irritation, and swelling of the throat.” Reports are that the worker informed the hotel of the problems that he had in cleaning the carpet, but was still forced to clean the carpets for two additional days regardless of the fact that the pesticides made him sick.
There is no information provided stating if the bed bug treatment was provided by a licensed pest control professional or if it was completed by the hotel itself. Either way, the pesticide that was used could have been misapplied or the worker could be sensitive to the effects of the pesticide.
Hotel employees have now asked for Cal/OSHA to conduct an investigation into the matter. The workers staged a 30 hours protest at the LAX Holiday Inn claiming that they are working in unsafe conditions. Additionally, employees were already up in arms against the Holiday Inn as they are claiming that the hotel owes them back wages.
Regardless of how this particular situation plays out, any hotel that has bed bugs should hire a pest control expert and follow the guidelines that are set by the technician for the most effective and safest results for employees and patrons alike.
