I kicked my colleague in the head…

EHO Story 📩

When I worked in local government, Friday afternoons in the office were always when the most “interesting” calls would come in. This particular Friday was no different.

At around 4 p.m., we got a call from a member of the public. They’d spotted a mouse darting behind the toasters and panini machines in a local coffee shop. My colleague and I grabbed our torches and headed out to investigate 🔦🔎

Food Safety Tip

How to Spot Mouse Activity:

When checking for signs of mice, look for:

• Hair or fur
• Sightings of them (dead or alive)
• Smell (where there’s a heavy infestation there tends to be a strong smell)
• Nesting materials
• Urine
• Droppings
• Foot prints or tail swipes
• Scratching sounds
• Food loss
• And finally, skid marks! As they run along a wall or across a pipe they will leave a black skid or smear mark.

Here are five key places to inspect:

• Around floor edges, corners, and under equipment.
• In warm places, such as boiler rooms or behind fridge/freezer motors.
• On food and food packaging.
• Inside cupboards or storage areas that are rarely disturbed.
• Anywhere with easy access to food or water.

With these checklists in hand, we got to work.

The Head-Kicking Incident

So, how exactly did I kick my colleague in the head?

We were inspecting a large chilled display unit. I lay down on my side to look under the motor, checking for droppings. What I didn’t realise was that my colleague had crouched down behind me, sticking his head close to my feet to get a better view.

Then it happened.

His hair brushed my leg. And in that split second, I thought it was a mouse.

I panicked and kicked my leg out—straight into his head. 😬

Luckily, no serious injuries (to him or his pride) occurred. But while there were no live mice spotted during the visit, we did find widespread droppings in the food prep and storage areas.

The Serious Lesson

As funny as this story may sound, pest infestations are no joke. This business had to close temporarily to get things under control.

If you’re a business owner, make pest prevention a top priority. Stay vigilant, check for pests regularly, and address issues before they get out of hand.