COMPLIANCE ON NEW INSURANCE AND BOND COVERAGE REQUIREMENTS
FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN SUSPENDED REGISTRATION
TO: REGISTERED COMPANIES
In October 2013, the Structural Pest Control Board (Board) notified all registered companies and branch offices that Senate Bill (SB) 662 had been approved by the Governor and would be effective Jan. 1, 2014. SB 662 amended sections 8690, 8691, 8692, 8693, 8697 and 8697.3 of the Business and Professions Code by increasing the minimum amount of insurance and bond coverage required to be maintained by a registered company. The new minimums for registered companies are $500,000 for insurance and $12,500 for bonds. A certificate of deposit, in lieu of the insurance and/or bonds, is no longer accepted to satisfy the insurance and/or bonding requirement.
Registered companies were notified that proof of these new minimum requirements had to be received by the Board no later than July 1, 2014.
If you are receiving this notice, then the Board has not received proof of the new minimum requirements for insurance and/or bond.
Failure to submit proof of these new requirements by July 1, 2014 will result in your company registration being suspended.
If you have any questions, please call the Board's Licensing Unit at (916) 561-8704.
WORKERS' SAFETY RESOURCES
I often get phone calls from members asking for safety meeting information. If you go through Cal/OSHA, you will get tons of information pertaining to construction and other related fields, but trying to get pest control related information is much more difficult.
One of the great untapped resources PCOC offers is through our PCOC insurance program. They do not just offer insurance policies but also risk management. Our members can go to http://pcocinsurance.com/2011PCOCsafetyCD/index.htm for extensive resources concerning a variety of safety information — from respirators to an illness and injury prevention program. It also includes fall protection information, ladder safety, driving tips, heat safety, and much more...If you want safety meeting help or PowerPoint presentations on a variety of topics, this is the place to go.
HEAT ILLNESS
With summer coming and increased temperatures the potential for heat illness also increases. Outdoor workers are most susceptible.
"Heat Illness" means a serious medical condition resulting from the body's inability to cope with a particular heat load, and includes heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat syncope, and heat stroke (see T8 CCR 3395).
Human beings need to maintain their internal body temperature within a very narrow range of a few degrees above or below 98.6 °F. People suffer from heat illness when their bodies are not able to get rid of excess heat and properly cool. The body losses its heat balance because it cannot shed heat at a fast enough rate.
When the body starts to overheat the blood vessels get bigger and the heart beats faster and harder. More blood flows to the outer layers of the skin from the internal "core" so that the heat can be released into the cooler outside environment. If this process does not cool the body fast enough, or the outside air is warmer than the skin, the brain triggers sweating to cool the body. Sweat glands in the skin draw water from the bloodstream making sweat. The sweat evaporates and releases the heat from the body. During an hour of heavy work in hot weather, the body can easily sweat out one quart of water.
Shifting blood to outer body layers (the "shell") causes less blood to go to the brain, muscles, and other organs (the "core"). Prolonged sweating can deplete the body of water and salt causing dehydration. Because the body loses water and the salts that are needed for the muscles to work, muscle cramping may occur. The physiological strain on the body from heat illness may cause the person to become dehydrated, weak, tired and confused.
As dehydration gets worse the body can no longer keep its temperature within the normal range, sweating stops and severe heat illness occurs. In heatstroke, the person's body temperature rises rapidly damaging the brain, muscles and vital organs causing death.
Heat Exhaustion – Signs and symptoms:
Headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting, weakness and moist skin, muscle cramps, mood changes such as irritability or confusion, upset stomach or vomiting.
Heat Stroke – Sign and symptoms:
Sweating stops – skin is hot, red, and dry, mental confusion, losing consciousness, fainting, seizures or convulsions.
Anyone experiencing these symptoms needs immediate medical help.
1. Move victim to cool area
2. Give small cup of water (if conscious and not nauseous)
3. Loosen and/or remove clothing
4. Fan and mist the person w/ water
5. Apply a water-soaked towel (or ice pack wrapped in towel) to head and ice pack to armpits
Contact supervisor immediately. Anyone with symptoms must never be sent home or left unattended without a medical evaluation.
As part of a heat illness prevention plan, you should remember four things:
- Training: You should train your employees in heat illness prevention.
- Water: Provide enough fresh water so that employees can drink at least 1 quart an hour.
- Shade: Provide access to shade and encourage employees to take cool- downs rests for 5 minutes. They should not wait until they feel sick. For pest control technicians running route, they usually get this between services while they are driving in their trucks. For fumigators and termite construction crew workers; however, this should be provided on the job site.
- Planning: Develop and implement written procedures for complying with the Cal/OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Standard.
Through Cal/OSHA online, you can get access to pamphlets and literature. For more information, visit the Cal/OSHA Heat Illness websites: