Bats make nests under the cover of the roof rafters of hospitals and healthcare facilities


Bats are becoming a growing pest management problem among healthcare facility management teams.

According to a 2025 report, an average of 100 hospitals request information on how to mitigate bat populations in their buildings. Deforestation, climate change, and human interference have led to bats seeking refuge in industrial environments. Due to the public health risk exposure bats pose, Environmental Services (EVS) will need to align cleaning systems with pest control and infection prevention needs.

A comprehensive response to bat sightings starts with identifying its entry point. Determining how a bat was able to infiltrate a facility will support how frontline teams can proceed in preventing future colonies from forming. Next, EVS staff should contain the area to the bat sighting, removing building occupants from the area to mitigate contamination risks. Personal protective equipment (PPE) should always be worn to minimize exposure to rabies and other diseases. After a bat is captured, cleaning crews should adhere to their hospital infection control protocols and effectively clean and disinfect the environment.

Preventative pest control measures are imperative to minimize operational displacement costs. When EVS teams are educated on bat safety and pest management policies and procedures, they are better able to manage the situation before it becomes a bigger problem. Additionally, addressing bats within facilities early on can reduce rabies exposure, which minimizes public health risks.

Learn more about how bats can impact facility cleaning programs here.