Be Careful

As pest management professionals we have an awesome responsibility in protecting the environment, our customers and ourselves. While we in pest management typically think of safety in terms of pesticide application, many other employment hazards exist that can result in death or have devastating effects on your health.

In 1998, the National Safety Council reported that there were 5,100 workplace fatalities, which equates to a fatal injury every 103 minutes. In addition, 3.8 million people suffered a disabling work-related injury, which is a disabling injury, every eight seconds. The top four fatal injuries resulted from driving, homicide, falls to a lower level and being struck by an object.

Work-related injuries cost Americans $125.1 billion in 1998, which is triple the profits reported by the top five Fortune 500 companies in the same year. The economic impact per individual for a work-related death is about $940,000 and work-related injury is $28,000. This affects not only the employee’s family but also the employer by having to find and train a new employee or finding a way to accomplish the job during the employee’s recuperation.

The statistics for agriculture, in particular, are alarming. In 1998, the agricultural industry accounted for 780 deaths and 140,000 disabling injuries. Agricultural workers had the second-highest death rate among the major industries listed.But fortunately for PCOs, the pest control industry’s safety record is much better.

Pesticide application is one of the rare events where we intentionally introduce a toxicant into the environment to kill and/or manage pests. The hazard of using a pesticide product is directly related to the product’s toxicity and exposure. A high exposure to a low-toxicity product can be as hazardous as a small exposure to a highly toxic product. It is enlightening to look at pesticide use historically.

PESTICIDE RISKS. Writing this article 25 years ago would have been simple. The pesticide products used in pest management were hot! I remember doing lawn care applications during the 1960s and using products such as chlordane, toxaphene and methyl parathion. I remember my cousin and uncle going to the emergency room with parathion poisoning.

The earliest structural pesticides included arsenical, mercurial and phosphorous compounds, in addition to zinc phosphide and thallium sulfate. Products introduced during World War II included DDT, chlordane and other chlorinated hydrocarbons. Shortly thereafter, organophosphates and carbamates became products of choice. Today, pyrethroids and several new active ingredients dominate the industry.

Many earlier products posed significant health threats to applicators and there was less attention given to personal protection years ago. These products also posed potential hazards to customers, their children and their pets. If misapplied, these products posed significant hazards to the environment and non-target animals.

Products have changed dramatically since the "good ol’ days." It has been interesting to watch the progression of these products. The older and more toxic products were typically used with minimal consideration given to the amount of product being applied and its final concentration. Today, the products being applied have very low toxicity (older active ingredients had LD50s < 100 mg/kg; many of today’s have LD50s > 5,000 mg/kg); are formulated at extremely low concentrations (older products were frequently applied at concentrations of 0.5 percent while today’s products are being applied at concentrations around 0.01 percent); and are applied directly into cracks and crevices.

It is obvious that many of the products we now use are much safer than those used in past years. This has led to complacency with regard to the safe handling of pesticides and use of personal protective equipment.

This is analogous to seasoned travelers who ignore safety briefings on aircraft because they have heard ad nauseam to bring their seats to their full and upright position, to wear their seat belt while in flight and to remain seated until the aircraft has come to a complete and full stop. While these warnings are the same on all aircraft, there are different types of aircraft and travelers should pay attention to the details.

As pesticide applicators we need to continuously remind ourselves that although many products have similar precautionary statements and label directions, they are different. Products are continuously reformulated and labels are changed voluntarily by the manufacturer (sometimes due to the Environmental Protection Agency’s findings and recommendations). Thus, it is imperative that pest management professionals periodically review the labels on products they use.

Pest management professionals should strive to minimize the risks associated with pesticide use. The following are some of the hazards faced by pest management professionals as well as some techniques that PCOs can employ in order to minimize the risks associated with them.

Exterior Pesticide Applications

• Drift: Do not apply liquid and dust products when winds exceed five mph.

• Exposure of Wildlife: Do not apply pesticides near ponds, creeks, birdbaths and other bodies of water.

• Exposure of Children: Remove toys if there is any risk of contamination. Children should remain off of treated surfaces until pesticide is dry.

• Plant Damage: Because some pesticides are phytotoxic and can damage or even kill plants, they should not be sprayed on plants. If plants are inadvertently exposed to phytotoxic materials, rinse them immediately.

• Property Damage: Some pesticide solvents can damage siding, stain wood and discolor paint. When in doubt, test the product in an inconspicuous area.

Interior Pesticide Applications

• Exposure of Children: Remove toys if there is any risk of contamination. Avoid contaminating beds, furniture, linens, etc. Children should remain off of treated surfaces until the pesticide is dry.

• Property Damage: Some pesticide solvents can damage wood and vinyl flooring, carpeting, fabrics, wallpaper and discolor paint. When in doubt, test the product in an inconspicuous area.

• Food Exposure: Take care to ensure that food preparation surfaces, cooking utensils and food are not contaminated with pesticides. Cover these areas prior to treatment and wash contaminated items.

• Human and Pet Exposure: To the maximum extent possible, apply products directly into cracks and crevices. Dispense rodenticide baits in tamper-resistant bait boxes.

• Inhalation Exposures: Apply aerosols only when air-handling systems are off and no one is present within the area of application. Individuals should re-enter the area only when the pesticide has settled out of the air.

Handling Pesticides

• Respiratory Protection: Labels often require that respirators be worn during mixing. Some labels require that a respirator be worn during application, particularly in confined spaces. Pay close attention to label directions.

• Ingestion: Wash your hands after handling pesticides, particularly before eating and drinking. Do not smoke when handling pesticides.

• Skin Contamination: Wash and shower to reduce skin contamination after pesticide use; change clothing daily; and wear protective clothing appropriate for the application, e.g., gloves, boots, long-sleeved shirts and head covering.

• Storage: Store pesticides in their original containers or in properly labeled service containers and secure them in the service vehicle.

• Spills: Contain, clean up and dispose of pesticide spills immediately and, if necessary, decontaminate the area.

OTHER HAZARDS. As indicated in the introduction to this article there are many other situations that pose a greater hazard to PCOs. Unfortunately, the lack of training, company policy and discipline do not come to the forefront until there is a serious accident or death. National Safety Council statistics indicate that there is a far greater risk of employee injury or death from motor vehicle accidents and falls than any other hazard associated with our industry.

Most companies and trainers assume that their employees do not need training in these areas. Every company should commit more time and training to the following workplace hazards (in addition to training about the use of pesticides and pest management practices). The reasoning is simple. To lose an employee for a few weeks, months or eternity will affect the bottom line more drastically than all the pest management training we could provide in a lifetime.

Some of the most significant hazards facing pest management professionals are listed below. While we cannot always eliminate the hazard, we can train employees to minimize the possibility of exposure and avoid a debilitating or fatal event.

Driving

• Drive defensively.

• Maintain a safe distance.

• Signal turns and lane changes well in advance.

• Clear the area behind your vehicle before backing up.

• Do not drive when tired or while taking medications that might cause drowsiness.

Ladders

• When working higher than 20 feet, an assistant should be available to brace your ladder.

• Before climbing, ensure that the ladder is on solid footing, e.g., it should be level and not wobble or slide.

• Inspect ladders for serviceability, e.g., broken rungs, ease of operation, locking mechanism.

• The ladder should extend several feet above the roof if you intend to climb onto the roof.

• The base of the ladder should extend away from the base of the structure and provide a sufficient angle such that the ladder does not fall over backward.

• Perform only one activity at a time while you are on a ladder and avoid reaching too far and letting go of the ladder with both hands.

Electrical Shock

• Check for underground lines when digging and drilling and, if possible, use a ground fault interrupter. Many areas around the country offer services to locate underground utilities.

• Take care when applying pesticides around electrical outlets, switch boxes, conduits, junction boxes and breaker boxes. Use application equipment with plastic tips or plastic covers over metal tips.

• Use dusts, instead of liquid sprays and aerosols, to treat electrical items.

• Inspect crawlspaces and attics for exposed wires prior to entering and as you move through the area.

• Avoid contacting overhead service lines with metal equipment, such as extension ladders, metal bee poles/sticks and animal nets.

Pest-borne Diseases and Infectious Wastes

• Arthropod-borne Diseases: Use personal protective measures, i.e., clothing and skin repellents, prior to making pesticide applications in areas where there is a risk of arthropod-borne diseases, e.g., encephalitis, Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

• Vertebrate-borne Diseases: Use personal protective measures when cleaning up mouse and bird droppings and when working in areas where hantavirus and histoplasmosis are known to occur. Wear protective clothing and a respirator with a HEPA filter when wetting down and disinfecting droppings.

• Infectious Diseases: When working in hospitals, be aware of areas where infectious diseases are treated. Typically, rooms so marked should not be entered until the nursing staff is consulted. Be aware of hazardous waste containers, needles and other medical supplies that could be infected. Also, never reach blindly around equipment.

CONCLUSION. By being proactive and anticipating the consequences of your actions, you will not only avoid possible disasters but will promote safety within your company for yourself, your customer and the environment.

The author is technical director of American Pest Management, Takoma Park, Md. He can be reached at rkramer@pctonline.com or 301/891-2600.