Qld education: Rat infestation in schools triggers exterminator callouts

Exterminators have been called to eliminate rodent infestations in Queensland’s public schools more than 200 times in three years, with experts warning the issue will get worse.

The figures were provided by QBuild.

Exterminators have been called to eliminate rodent infestations in Queensland’s public schools more than 200 times in three years, with experts warning the issue will get worse.

And the figures, provided by QBuild, don’t include the number of times schools have engaged pest managers privately, which the state’s peak body representing principals warned was more common.

It can be revealed state schools have gone through QBuild to get pest exterminators in for rodent issues 236 times in the last three financial years, with southeast Queensland making up nearly half (111) of the callouts.

The Courier-Mail understands at least one school in Brisbane’s south has a rat infestation problem, with faeces and urine found in buildings and staff labelling it unhealthy, unsanitary and unsafe.

According to a pest exterminator, the increase in rodent activity was in part due to increase wet weather and prolonged heat spells, along with a development boom across the suburbs.

Queensland Association of State School Principals president Pat Murphy said more often than not, schools used private contractors.

“Infestations would be a need that pops up from time to time in schools across Australia and community wide,” he said.

Pest exterminator Tom Aldridge, who runs his Suburban Pest Management business with his wife Kahlee, said both rats and mice were common in schools across the southeast.

He said the number of jobs they received for rodents in schools had increased over the past five years.

“The big challenge with schools and pests, is the lunchtime activity from the kids or the students, where they can drop their lunch and leave a lot of food scraps, which can encourage a lot of pest activity,” Mr Aldridge said.

He said it was a “constant battle” for the schools to stay on top of a lot of pests.

“We’re finding a lot of schools taking more of a proactive approach, rather than waiting for the issues to happen there,” he said.

“When you’ve got development going on in different areas, it can disrupt pest activity in those areas, and then it can cause an increase in rodent movement. So it’s certainly a factor with population density.”

Mr Aldridge said the wet weather and heat could also increase rodent infestation risks.

Mater director of infectious diseases Professor Paul Griffin said rodent infestations brought about increased risk of nasty diseases like “rat bite fever”.

While rare, Rat Bite fever symptoms include a headache, skin rash and fever as well as potential joint and muscle pain or swollen lymph nodes.

Dr Griffin said kids were more likely to be impacted by rat and gastrointestinal illnesses as a result of being less aware of what to look out for, and less likely to employ basic hygiene measures.

A spokeswoman for Education Queensland said it provided information to support pest management in schools including the engagement of licenced pest management technicians and risk management strategies for local pest management.

“Queensland state schools are encouraged to contact relevant pest control businesses or QBuild help desk directly following departmental procedures for all related pest control services,” she said.

“Professional pest control services must comply with a range of requirements to ensure occupant safety.”

Originally published as Qld education: Rat infestation in schools triggers exterminator callouts