How to choose a guano clearance contractor

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The short answer

Choose a contractor who surveys your site first and gives you a site-specific risk assessment and method statement, controls dust, uses proper respiratory protection, is a registered waste carrier and has the right insurance. At the end, you should get a waste transfer note and a completion certificate.

Why does the contractor you choose matter?

Guano clearance is not ordinary cleaning. Dried droppings release contaminated dust when disturbed, and breathing it in can cause psittacosis, a rare infection that brings flu-like illness and pneumonia (HSE). A contractor who sweeps it up dry can spread that dust through your building.

You also have duties of your own. HSE expects anyone bringing in a contractor to check that the contractor, and any subcontractor, is “fit and competent to do the work” (HSE). If your staff could be exposed, the COSHH regulations require you to assess and control that risk (HSE).

What should you check before you hire a guano clearance contractor?

Ask for evidence of each of these before you agree a start date.

  • Experience with guano. Ask for examples of similar jobs, ideally with before and after photos. Clearing a roof void is very different from cleaning a ledge.
  • A site-specific risk assessment and method statement (RAMS). It should cover your building, the access route, how dust will be controlled and how the area will be sealed off. A generic template is a warning sign.
  • Respiratory protection. HSE advises FFP3 masks, or a half mask with a P3 filter, for work that raises dust from droppings, and tight-fitting masks need a face fit test (HSE).
  • Dust control. The method should wet the guano down first. HSE warns against high-pressure washers, which create contaminated droplets (HSE).
  • Waste carrier registration. Anyone who takes waste away must be registered with the Environment Agency. Ask for the registration number and check it on the public register.
  • Insurance. Employers must hold employers’ liability insurance for their staff (HSE). Ask for the certificate and for proof of public liability cover too.
  • Training for access. Work at height needs trained operatives, such as IPAF training for mobile elevating work platforms. If the guano is in an enclosed space, ask how they will manage it (see below).
  • Health and safety accreditation. Schemes such as SafeContractor and Constructionline check a contractor’s policies and records. Check membership on the scheme’s own website rather than relying on a logo.
  • Disinfection and sign-off. The quote should include cleaning and disinfecting every affected surface, and a completion certificate at the end.

What questions should you ask at the site survey?

A good contractor will want to see the site before quoting, and will answer these without hesitation.

  1. How will you stop dust spreading to the rest of the building?
  2. Will you need to isolate any ventilation, machinery or power while you work?
  3. Who will be on site, and who supervises them? Do you use subcontractors?
  4. Where will the waste go, and what paperwork will I get?
  5. Are there any active nests, and how will you handle them? Nests are protected by law while in use (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981).
  6. Can you work at night or at weekends to keep the site running?
  7. What will stop the pigeons coming back?

What if the guano is in a roof void or enclosed space?

Some roof voids, plant rooms and ducts count as confined spaces: enclosed areas with a foreseeable risk such as loss of consciousness from poor air (HSE). HSE says entry should be avoided where possible, and where it is not, the work needs a safe system of work, trained operatives and a rescue plan that does not rely on the emergency services (HSE). Ask the contractor whether they have assessed the space, and how they would get someone out in an emergency.

What are the warning signs of a contractor to avoid?

  • A firm price for a large job without seeing the site
  • Plans to dry sweep, leaf blow or pressure wash the guano
  • No RAMS, or one that does not mention your building
  • No waste carrier registration number, or one you cannot find on the register
  • No mention of waste paperwork or a completion certificate
  • Operatives without proper respiratory protection

What paperwork should you get when the job is done?

Keep these on file:

  • The waste transfer note. You must keep it for 2 years (GOV.UK).
  • A completion certificate confirming the area has been cleaned and disinfected.
  • The RAMS used for the job.
  • Before and after photos, useful for your own records and for insurers.

How does Locus Services meet these checks?

Locus Services has cleared guano from warehouses, car parks and house lofts across England, including 800 kg from one Midlands warehouse roof void. Every job starts with a free site survey and a written RAMS.

  • Waste carrier: registered with the Environment Agency as an upper tier carrier, broker and dealer, registration CBDU320327 (public register).
  • Accreditations: SafeContractor, Constructionline Silver, CSCS, IPAF and the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc).
  • Trained operatives: biohazard handling, working at height and confined space entry.
  • Paperwork: waste transfer notes and a completion certificate on every job.
  • Cover: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for homes and businesses.

For what affects the price, see our guide How much does pigeon guano removal cost?, or read more about our pigeon guano removal service.

Frequently asked questions

Can a general cleaning company clear pigeon guano?

For light, fresh droppings, yes. For dried build-ups, large amounts or anything at height or in a roof space, use a specialist with a site-specific RAMS, proper respiratory protection and a waste carrier registration.

Who is responsible for safety, me or the contractor?

Both. The contractor is responsible for how its team does the work. You are responsible for checking the contractor is competent and for protecting your own staff and visitors while the work goes on.

Should I get more than one quote?

For larger jobs, it is sensible. Compare what each quote includes using the checklist above, not just the price. A cheaper quote that leaves out dust control or waste paperwork is not like for like.

How quickly can you start?

We operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Urgent jobs can often be done within 24 hours; planned work is booked after the free site survey.

Should the same contractor fit bird proofing?

It often makes sense. Surfaces must be cleaned before proofing is fitted, and doing both on one visit saves a second set of access costs.

Can you work while my building is in use?

Yes. We seal off the work area and control the dust, and we can work at night or at weekends to keep your site running.