Campus Pest Control Questions, Answered From the Source

Does Utah's school pest management rule apply to universities?

No. Utah's school rule, R392-200, carries the K–12 pest management requirements at R392-200-18. Its applicability section says it does not apply to a place of higher education.

R392-200-3, Applicability:

“(1) This rule applies to any school, as defined, and any associated grounds and accessory structures.

(2) This rule does not apply to a:

(a) child care center;

(b) home-based microschool;

(c) home school;

(d) micro-education entity;

(e) place of higher education;

(f) professional school; or

(g) trade school.”

Charter schools are a different case. The rule defines “school” to include any charter school:

R392-200-2(26)(a):

“(26)(a) "School" means a public or private educational institution including any charter school, elementary school, middle school, or secondary school established to provide education for grades kindergarten through 12 regardless of students' age, including any attached preschool.”

Two public charter schools hold classes on Utah university campuses: Edith Bowen Laboratory School at Utah State University and NUAMES at Weber State University. See Child Care and On-Campus Schools and Utah R392-200.

Are university residence halls covered by Utah's lodging sanitation rule?

No. Utah's public lodging rule excludes student housing operated by an educational institution.

R392-502-3(16)(d):

“(d) For the purposes of this rule, a public lodging facility does not include:

(i) student housing such as a dormitory or boarding house operated by an educational institution;”

A full-text search of all current Utah administrative rules for “dormitory,” “student housing,” and “residence hall” found no rule that expressly governs sanitation or pests in university residence halls. Whether R392-800 (public places) reaches a residence hall is listed as an open question. See Student Housing and What Is Not Covered.

What pest control requirement applies to a university animal facility?

The species standards in the USDA Animal Welfare regulations carry pest control paragraphs. For guinea pigs and hamsters:

9 CFR 3.31(c):

“(c) Pest control. An effective program for the control of insects, ectoparasites, and avian and mammalian pests shall be established and maintained.”

For animal activities supported by the Public Health Service, PHS Policy adds the Guide:

PHS Policy, footnote 2 to Section IV.A.1:

“This Policy requires that Assured institutions base their programs of animal care and use on the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and that they comply with the applicable regulations (9 CFR, Subchapter A) issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Animal Welfare Act.”

See Vivaria and Animal Facilities, 9 CFR Part 3, PHS Policy and the Guide, and the USDA inspection findings for Utah research facilities.

Do NIH-funded laboratories need an insect and rodent control program?

The NIH Guidelines list the insect and rodent item at each containment level, BL1 through BL4. At BL2:

NIH Guidelines, Appendix G-II-B-2-e:

“Appendix G-II-B-2-e. An insect and rodent control program is in effect.”

Section I-D extends the condition to all such research at the institution:

NIH Guidelines, Section I-D:

“As a condition for NIH funding of recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecule research, institutions shall ensure that such research conducted at or sponsored by the institution, irrespective of the source of funding, shall comply with the NIH Guidelines.”

See NIH Guidelines, Appendix G and Laboratories and Insectaries.

What does BMBL say about pest management in laboratories and animal biosafety facilities?

BMBL 6 is advisory guidance from CDC and NIH. It lists an IPM program among the standard practices at every laboratory biosafety level and every animal biosafety level. Section IV says “implemented”; Section V says “required.”

Section IV, BSL-1, BSL-2, and BSL-3, item 16:

“16. An effective integrated pest management program is implemented. See Appendix G.”

Section V, ABSL-1, ABSL-2, and ABSL-3, item 19:

“19. An effective integrated pest management program is required. See Appendix G.”

On who should design the program, Appendix G says:

BMBL 6, Appendix G, Technical Expertise (p. 465):

“A qualified entomologist can provide helpful technical guidance to develop and implement an IPM program. Pest management personnel should be licensed and certified by the appropriate regulatory agency(s).”

BMBL 6, Appendix G, Recordkeeping (p. 464):

“A logbook should be used to record pest activity and conditions pertinent to the IPM program. It may contain protocols and procedures for IPM services in that facility, Safety Data Sheets on pesticides, pesticide labels, treatment records, floor plans, and survey reports.”

See BMBL 6, Appendix G.

What pest exclusion is expected in a campus insectary?

The Arthropod Containment Guidelines, referenced in NIH Guidelines Appendix G-III-B, set a pest exclusion program at Arthropod Containment Level 1; ACL-2 and ACL-3 follow ACL-1.

Arthropod Containment Guidelines 3.2, ACL-1, Pest exclusion program:

“A program to prevent the entrance of wild arthropods (e.g., houseflies, cockroaches, spiders) and rodents effectively precludes predation, contamination, and possible inadvertent infection.”

See Arthropod Containment Guidelines.

What rules cover pest control in campus dining and concessions?

Utah adopts the 2022 FDA Food Code through R392-100. The pest section reads:

FDA Food Code 2022, section 6-501.111, Controlling Pests:

“The PREMISES shall be maintained free of insects, rodents, and other pests. The presence of insects, rodents, and other pests shall be controlled to eliminate their presence on the PREMISES by:

(A) Routinely inspecting incoming shipments of FOOD and supplies;

(B) Routinely inspecting the PREMISES for evidence of pests;

(C) Using methods, if pests are found, such as trapping devices or other means of pest control as specified under §§ 7-202.12, 7-206.12, and 7-206.13; Pf and

(D) Eliminating harborage conditions.”

See FDA Food Code 2022 and Utah R392-100 and Dining and Concessions.

Is there a pest rule for food manufacturing on a campus?

For food plants under FDA's current good manufacturing practice rule:

21 CFR 117.35(c):

“(c) Pest control. Pests must not be allowed in any area of a food plant. Guard, guide, or pest-detecting dogs may be allowed in some areas of a plant if the presence of the dogs is unlikely to result in contamination of food, food-contact surfaces, or food-packaging materials. Effective measures must be taken to exclude pests from the manufacturing, processing, packing, and holding areas and to protect against the contamination of food on the premises by pests. The use of pesticides to control pests in the plant is permitted only under precautions and restrictions that will protect against the contamination of food, food-contact surfaces, and food-packaging materials.”

Whether a given campus creamery or food processing operation is a registered food facility or a retail food establishment is listed as an open question. See 21 CFR 117.35(c) and Food Manufacturing.

Do campus child care centers have to control pests?

A program licensed as a Child Care Center falls under Utah's child care center rule:

R381-100-15(2):

“(2) The provider shall take safe and effective measures to prevent and eliminate the presence of insects, rodents, and other pests.”

As of September 25, 2026, the state's licensing records list eleven campus programs as licensed Child Care Centers and three as Child Care Exempt Programs. Whether this rule reaches an exempt program is not established here. The programs and record numbers are on Child Care and On-Campus Schools.

Do Utah's public-place sanitation rules cover campus libraries and museums?

R392-800's definition of a public place names the kinds of buildings a campus has:

R392-800, definition of public place, (b):

“(b) A public place may also include public buildings and grounds, as well as centers and places used for public gatherings such as auditoriums, theaters, libraries, museums, concert halls, indoor arenas, and meeting rooms.”

Which university buildings are “public places” under R392-800 is listed as an open question. See Utah R392-800.

Pest monitoring inside a museum, library, or archive collection is a separate matter, set by professional standards rather than regulation. See Collections Care: Pest Monitoring From the Professional Standards.

Does OSHA require pest control in campus buildings?

OSHA's general sanitation standard covers permanent places of employment:

29 CFR 1910.141(a)(5), Vermin control:

“Every enclosed workplace shall be so constructed, equipped, and maintained, so far as reasonably practicable, as to prevent the entrance or harborage of rodents, insects, and other vermin. A continuing and effective extermination program shall be instituted where their presence is detected.”

Utah Code 34A-6-103(1)(f) names the state and local governments as employers but does not name state universities; that is listed as an open question. See OSHA 1910.141(a)(5).

Who may apply pesticides on a Utah campus, and what records must be kept?

Commercial applicators working at an educational institution are certified in the Structural and Health Related category:

R68-7-7(7), first sentence:

“(7) Structural and Health Related Pest Control. This category includes applicators applying pesticides in, on, or around any public or private food handling establishment; dwelling, educational institution, or medical institution; industrial building; business establishment; packing house; food-processing facility; prison; manufacturing facility; grain elevator; or any other structure or area, or immediately adjacent structure or area, to control pests.”

Their records:

R68-7-11(11), opening:

“(11) Records Maintained. Commercial applicators shall keep and maintain records of any pesticide applications.

(a) These records shall be recorded within 24 hours after the pesticide application is made.”

R68-7-11(11)(c):

“(c) Records shall be kept for a period of at least two years from the date of the pesticide application and shall be available for inspection by the department upon request.”

How R68-7 treats general-use pesticides applied by university staff is listed as an open question. See Utah R68-7.

Is there a Utah law that requires a campus-wide pest program?

None was found. Searches of all 445 sections of Utah Code Title 53H (Higher Education), all 168 published Utah Board of Higher Education policies, the Utah Fit Premises Act, and the NWCCU accreditation standards for pest, vermin, and sanitation terms returned no pest requirement. The requirements that do reach a campus arrive zone by zone: animal facilities, laboratories, dining, food manufacturing, child care and on-campus schools, and the campus as a workplace. Each search is recorded on What Is Not Covered.