PERFORMANCE SPECS BRING OPPORTUNITIES
This letter is in response to K.C. of San Leandro, Calif., whose letter appeared in the May issue of PCT.
Experience has demonstrated to many in the food industry that there is a need to have established, documented criteria to maintain a comprehensive food safety program. The requirements for the pest control program are but one of several. Due to the diversity of the food industry, developing a one-fits-all document is all but impossible. The criteria utilized by AIB International is the result of more than 50 years of practical field experience obtained by AIB from around the world and was combined with the recommendations and expertise of several of today’s top pest control consultants who assisted in the drafting of a standard that is easily understood, practical in its application and will achieve the desired results. As K.C. stated, these are guidelines and the expectation is that the pest control professional will collect data, evaluate the findings and make the best choices to protect the customer’s interest within the guidelines provided.
I’m somewhat surprised that K.C. wouldn’t appreciate the opportunity to bid on contracts where specifications for performance are clearly defined and equally accessible to all prospective bidders. Issues of “Standards of Performance” are items the food industry has learned to be essential for maintaining quality programs and products. In the simplest of forms, K.C., should you choose to ignore the needs and motivation of the food customer to maintain a “Standard of Performance,” to enable them to meet their obligation to their customer, your ability to provide a needed service will certainly be impeded and opportunities for both will be lost.
Alfred J. St.Cyr
Director, Food Safety Education
AIB International
Manhattan, Kan.
GUIDELINES FOR USING FLYING INSECT LIGHT TRAPS
With the coming of summer, a pest control operator’s attention focuses on various flying insect control and monitoring measures, including insect light traps. Many of these devices operate from a shared technology: ultra-violet light. When discussing insect light traps with their customers, PCOs should understand a few things about this innovative, yet often overlooked technology. First, a lit lamp isn’t always an attracting lamp. Most ultra-violet lamps have an effective life span of approximately 7,000 hours. That is equal to about nine-and-a-half months of use, after which the amount of UV light being emitted from a lamp may have decreased by more than half. This fact is often overlooked because a UV lamp will continue to emit visible light at the end of its effective life span. Visible light is perceptible to the human eye, yet largely ignored by flying insects. UV light emission decreases because of the natural decay of a lamp’s phosphor, minerals and chemicals. For this reason, UV attraction lamps should be replaced at least annually. Second, not all lamps are lit the same. Lamps are lit by a power source, or ballast. Depending on the type of ballast (i.e., magnetic or electronic), the number of ballasts per lamp or the number of lamps per ballast, an insect attraction lamp can be controlled to emit more or less light. Simple measurements with an ultra-violet lamp meter can verify the amount and intensity of UV light being emitted from a trap. By using such a meter, especially before and after lamp replacement, PCOs can show their clients a credible UV light emission readout. Such measurements can convert the most serious doubters that UV lamps “wear out” and require replacement, although the lamps appear to be “on.” Finally, direct UV light is most effective. Diffused, filtered or shrouded light may have insect-attracting properties; however, for best results, direct UV light emission is best. Of course, for aesthetic reasons, restaurants and other retail accounts may require the use of light traps that are more discrete and do not provide a “direct” light source. However, this is usually not an issue in industrial settings. Remember, UV insect traps are not a panacea for all flying insect problems. Rather, they are an important and complementary tool for any comprehensive control program.
Jack Harris Readers with comments are invited to write: PCT Letters, 4012 Bridge Ave., Cleveland OH 44113. Letters also can be faxed to 216/961-0364, or e-mailed to ljosof@gie.net. Letters may be edited for space or clarity.
Marketing Director
Insect-O-Cutor
Stone Mountain, Ga.
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