Pest control analysis By Hareesh Nair, Property Manager at Royal Ambassador
Problems with pest control from a client’s perspective
T
he temperatures, climate and environments in the Middle East make ideal breeding grounds for pests. Pests generally have two needs – food and shelter. Once they come, they bring their friends and family and breed like crazy, and they never want to leave. In dealing with pests, the cure can be as much a nuisance as the pests and it is often downright dangerous, too. An experienced and qualified Pest Control Company or Contractor (PCC) knows the best, up-todate pest-control methods and can provide a specific pest-eradication solution that will deal with the nuisance effectively. Companies often see pest control as a legal requirement/routine procedure rather than when there is a pest problem. It needs to be viewed as an effective tool for healthy and hygienic living. The key stages to effective pest control are: pest identification; identifying the pest-control solution; applying and executing it; and then assessing and reviewing the situation. Different pests require different solutions. For example, flying insects are generally dealt with using “EFKs” – Electronic Fly Killers – while feral cats and dogs are usually the domain of the SPCA or
appropriate municipal department and dealt with humanely. The problem with PCCs is that there is often a gap between good intentions and effective execution on site and this leads to dangerous exposure for the applicator, the client and the surroundings. Pest-control measures and solutions generally rely on insecticides or poisons. Poisons are exactly that – poisonous – and adequate precautions are needed at all times, especially by the contractors. During pest-control applications, contractors often take shortcuts and fail to wear the right protective clothing, use the right equipment and follow the laid-down procedures. This leads to self-exposure to poisonous chemicals, and is a danger to people, animals and plant life. If your pest-control company does not take adequate precautions when administering chemicals or poisons, then you should challenge them. Prevention is better than cure and it will also help to improve standards in PCCs. There are many reputable, experienced high-quality PCCs around, but unfortunately “cowboys” as well. Choose a Pest Control Company or Contractor wisely, not just cheaply – your life, the lives of your family, friends, pets and neighbours, may depend on it.
PESTS FOUND IN BAHRAIN ⚫ Mice ⚫ Rats ⚫ Feral cats ⚫ Stray dogs ⚫ Cockroaches ⚫ Weevils ⚫ Silverfish ⚫ Ants ⚫ Termites ⚫ Centipedes ⚫ Flies ⚫ Mosquitoes
16 AH MAY 2018
⚫ Wasps ⚫ Bedbugs ⚫ Ticks ⚫ Fleas ⚫ People! I have included people purely because some live in a manner that facilitates pests and nuisances. These individuals have atrocious, dirty living habits that not only attracts pests, vermin and nuisance insects, but foster them and create a breeding ground for them through dirty, unhygienic living conditions and poor refuse disposal.
An experienced PCC should: ⊲ Visit the site/residence and look, listen and learn about the problem ⊲ Assess the need for pest control, including identifying origin, hideouts, nests, routes etc ⊲ Provide a detailed cost quotation ⊲ Advise on safety precautions before, during and after the pest control ⊲
Ensure a documented process is in place and available for reference at all times during the pest-control exercise undertaken
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Inform the client about exactly what chemical or poison is being used and its potential dangers to people, plants, animals, birds and fish
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Provide a safety sheet detailing the guidelines for recognising symptoms of exposure and actions to take
⊲ Record the date, time and dosage applied ⊲
Advise the client on how long the property should be kept uninhabited and closed for the safety of all living things
⊲ Wear adequate protective clothing and protective equipment ⊲ Use the correct measuring and application devices for the solution applied And, finally, the PCC should assess the results after the application to ensure its effectiveness and make recommendations for any future treatments