[Technically Speaking] Watch your back!

There are many situations that technicians might encounter while servicing their accounts that can inadvertently and unexpectedly cause liability for their companies. These situations can be created either by the customer or by a previous pest management service. The following are examples of some of these situations, as well as recommendations on how to correct them.

One of the most frequent situations we have encountered is misuse of rodenticides. In serving apartments with mouse problems, we frequently find tenant-applied rodenticides. These products often are indiscriminately placed throughout the apartments and are readily accessible to children and pets. While we would prefer to remove these products, this should not be done without the consent of the tenant (who, typically, is not there to give consent). In such situations, the best course is to document on the service ticket the products found and their location.

TAKING OVER ACCOUNTS. The corollary to this is when pest control companies misapply products. In some situations, we have found that copious quantities of tracking powder have been placed along baseboards, behind and around refrigerators, stoves and other areas readily accessible to children and pets. We also have noted that bait blocks have been openly placed in these same locations. Even in situations where blocks are placed in areas appearing to be inaccessible, e.g., behind stoves, there is no way to be assured that the blocks will not be displaced during maintenance, thereby making them readily accessible to children and pets.

Recommendations for these situations include:

• Documenting the products found, e.g., blocks, pellets, bags, powder. etc. If you don’t know the name of the product, indicate its color.
• Removing all exposed products, in most cases, by vacuuming.
• Applying pellets, seed, baits or tracking powder only in inaccessible areas, e.g., wall voids and under base cabinets.
• Applying block baits only in tamper-resistant bait stations that are labeled inside with product name, concentration, EPA registration number, company name, date and technician’s initials.

When we take over an account that has installed exterior bait stations, typically we wait 30-60 days to see if the previous company removes the boxes. If they don’t, it is our policy that our technicians will be responsible for those bait stations on their accounts’ property. In these situations, it is recommended that:

• Unserviceable or unneeded bait stations be removed and replaced as necessary.
• Serviceable bait stations should be cleaned and relabeled with your company name and product information, and then rebaited.

COCKROACH TREATMENTS. Cockroach treatments are another liability issue. Occasionally we service apartments where the tenants have treated them with boric acid, which is piled in mounds around all the baseboards, kitchen cabinets, and behind the stove and refrigerator. These types of boric acid misapplications should be documented and not removed without permission of the tenant. Additionally, the name of any tenant-purchased product found during service also should be documented.

In my opinion, a frequent misapplication by pest control companies is the over-application of bait products (booger baiting), with dots of bait everywhere in visible and readily accessible areas.

It is recommended, at the very least, that this be documented on the initial service ticket, and if possible and practical, as much of the bait as possible be removed. The latter action serves two purposes: improvement of aesthetics as well as of the acceptability of the newly-applied gel baits. Containerized baits also should be removed, particularly if they appear old, in order to remove a potential cockroach harborage.

CONCLUSION. Hopefully this article has clarified potential liabilities that technicians might encounter while servicing their accounts, as well as provided recommendations for removing and avoiding those liabilities in the future. It’s always a good thing to watch your back!

The author is president of Innovative Pest Management, Brookeville, Md.