I don't know about you, but I have been following the proliferation in the media of articles on bed bugs. Suddenly, it seems – well, we in the industry all know that it really isn't all that sudden – these little critters have popped up on everyone's radar. Newspapers from coast to coast have been reporting on what you need to do when you arrive at a hotel to check for bed bugs. (Most of us have been doing this for six months or more, thanks to the example provided by Gail Getty who has been touting this procedure for a long time!) The national media, TV and radio are all in on the act: NPMA staff have been featured on "Good Morning America" and on NPR.

One particular article caught my attention in Bloomberg Businessweek: "From sunny California to New York City, in flophouses, theaters and high-end offices, bed bugs are popping up in droves; although, these days, they're found in a lot more places than just your bed. According to a NPMA/University of Kentucky report, 95 percent of U.S. pest management companies surveyed said they had ‘encountered a bed bug infestation in the past year.' In Ohio, dubbed the new ‘Bed Bug Capital of the United States,' some residents have taken to sleeping in the streets just to get away from their co-habitants."

A surge in international travel is being blamed for the "comeback" of bed bugs. As we know, although they don't transmit disease, they are certainly causing a great deal of stress and anxiety. That is why, this month, PCOC and NPMA teamed up with California associations representing hotels and apartment owners, to put on two bed bug seminars. In quite a reversal of our usual events, the attendees were actually from the hotel and apartment industries, whilst the exhibitors were PCOs who exhibit solutions in the marketplace exhibit hall at each conference.

The Structural Pest Control Board has put out a request for proposal for a research project to study bed bugs. I think this highlights the importance of this issue. It also draws out attention to the fact that California-based pest control research resources are shrinking dramatically. For example, the UC Berkeley school, headed by Dr. Vernard Lewis, desperately needs funding. It is critically important that we preserve research facilities based in California. At our June board of directors' meeting in Monterey, over $50,000 was pledged by industry to help sustain this important work.

It is good to see the pest control industry concerned about its long-term health and involved in projects that help society as a whole.

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To review the PCOC Legislative Agenda, click here: Legislative Agenda.

 

 

EMPLOYMENT HANDBOOKS: A MUST FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS

The company employment handbook is one of the most important communication tools between your company and your employees. An employment handbook allows you to establish sound, consistent employment expectations for employees in your pest control business, while ensuring compliance with state and federal employment law. Having an employment handbook protects you and your business and provides centralized guidelines for how to run the people-side of your business. The employment handbook allows you to: clarify your expectations for professional conduct, performance, and employment policies with your employees; train your employees in your expectations of their conduct, performance, and employment policies; maintain accountability with employees who act inappropriately in your business; ensure compliance with state and federal employment law, insurance and professional liability requirements; and projects and maintains a professional workplace for your employees.

Employment handbooks are a business necessity for all companies and can help protect you from employment liability and wrongful employment actions – which can cost thousands of dollars!

Employment handbooks allow you to be PRO-ACTIVE in communicating a professional image to your employees about dress code, customer service, hours of operation, paid time off, time schedules, requesting time off, and many more issues in employment! By having an employment handbook, you provide a consistent, clear, uniform set of guidelines that allows you to manage the human resource issues in your business effectively and efficiently. An employee handbook should be clear and as unambiguous as possible.

The following is a SAMPLE list of policies which should be included in your employment handbook:

• Employment-at-will provisions
• Equal employment opportunity
• Sexual harassment policies and procedures
• Family & Medical Leave Act
• Absenteeism/tardiness policy
• Vacation & time-off policies
• Corrective disciplinary action policy
• Dress & tattoo code
• Company holidays, AND SO MUCH MORE!!!!!

Don't assume that your employees know how they should act in the workplace ... spell it out in the employment handbook. I advise to you provide each employee with a copy of the handbook and to have each employee sign an acknowledgement of receipt (a copy of which should be provided to the employee and the original placed in the employee's personal file).

BED BUG SEMINARS

On Sept. 8 and Sept. 10, 2010, I attended both bed bug seminars on behalf of PCOC. Both sessions were very successful, with approximately 125 people attending in Oakland and approximately 150 people attending in Anaheim. At both sessions the attendance was approximately one-third industry, one-third hoteliers and one-third apartment/property managers. Several of our members also participated in the booth exhibition marketplace. The information that was presented was both timely and informative. Both the hotelier managers and apartment/property managers showed great interest in partnering with our industry to educate their industries. These seminars were a win/win situation for everyone.

 

 

Carpal tunnel syndrome affects approximately two out of ev­ery 1,000 workers. Researchers at Washington University Medical School estimated the average lifetime cost of a single case at $30,000 in medical bills and lost time.

What is carpal tunnel syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve that runs through the carpal tunnel – a narrow passageway at the base of the hand – becomes pinched or compressed. Injury to the wrist or swelling of the tendons in the carpal tunnel can cause the syndrome, as can non-occupational causes such as fluid retention. Symptoms include numbness and tingling of the wrist and hand, which can progress into sharp pain. If left untreated, permanent damage to the median nerve can result.

What causes carpal tunnel syn­drome?

Doctors have associated wrist disorders with repetitive tasks since the 1960s. Carpal tunnel syndrome is also caused by force, cold tempera­tures, mechanical stress, vibration and poor pos­ture.

Who gets carpal tunnel syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs three times more often in women than in men, possibly be­cause women have a smaller carpal tunnel than men. Diabetics and those with other metabolic disorders, along with pregnant women, are also more likely to get carpal tunnel syndrome.

Increasing job fragmentation; an aging workforce; the increase in keyboard/computer use; improperly designed, one-size-fits-all workstations and machines; and increased workloads caused by downsizing all contribute to the explosion of carpal tunnel syn­drome and related repetitive stress injuries.

Case management

Case management can help employers re­duce the costs of carpal tunnel syndrome. Case managers guide injured workers through treatment and reha­bilitation after injury, acting as liaisons between physician and employer, and between injured worker and employer. They can be your own employees, TPAs (third-party administrators) or your insurer's employees.

Case managers should analyze injured work­ers' job tasks, along with home activities and hobbies, past injuries and former occupations to determine possible origins of the injury and to prevent continued problems. The case manager should accompany injured workers on their first visit to the doctor, to review treatment options and become familiar with the treatment plan. This will help you set up alternative work accom­modations for the worker, and creates a team at­mosphere the injured worker can rely on.

Treatments

The best ways to cut the inci­dence and severity of carpal tunnel syndrome in­volve changing work methods, retraining workers and modifying computers and other equipment to fit human forms and posture. For immediate symptom relief, the simplest treatments often work best. Your first choice of treatment should be to rest the affected joint; common anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen, can reduce swelling and pain. A brace or splint that keeps the wrist in a natural position can also reduce irritation and swelling.

Surgery is a last resort, and will not succeed unless you modify an injured employee's work methods and equipment. You may not have to completely retool to make your business ergo­nomically sound – analyze the worksite to see whether retraining employees in proper equip­ment use will do the trick.

OSHA offers several publications with guidelines for institut­ing ergonomics programs. Outside consultants can review your worksite for ergonomic safety, too. For more infor­mation on holding down carpal tunnel and other claims costs in your workplace, please contact the PCOC Insurance Program Department at Jenkins Insurance Group: (877) 860-7378.

 

NAME COMPANY DISTRICT	MEMBER TYPE	REFERRED BY
Mr. Rob Bowlen	R
Rob Bowlen Termite Co.
DIABLO
Ms. Chenoa Morris	R
Global Pest Solutions
PALMSPNGS
Todd Tenhet	R
Pestman Termite & Pest Control
CENTRAL
Mr. Bill Wilson	R	Univar
Termite Doctor
BIGVALLEY
Mr. Michael Cantin	S
Statewide Fumigation
SANDIEGO
Mr. Marcial Chairez	G
Statewide Fumigation
LA/SOBAY
Mr. Barry Einstoss	G
Statewide Fumigation
SANDIEGO
Mr. Larry Villalobos	G
Statewide Fumigation
ORANGE
Mr. Uriel Auniga	G
Statewide Fumigation
SANDIEGO
Mr. Steve Troth	A
Add Insulation, Inc
SANBERND

 

TEMPORARY NPMA LOGIN FOR JOINT MEMBERSHIP

LOGIN: 313501

PASSWORD: PCOC

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PCOC Web site password for 2010-2011: "termite"

Please remember, the password changes every July 1!

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Department of Fish & Game
www.dfg.ca.gov

Department of Food & Agriculture
www.cdfa.ca.gov

Department of Pesticide Regulation
www.cdpr.ca.gov

Find Your Legislator
www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

Healthy Schools Act
www.schoolipm.info

Structural Pest Control Board
www.pestboard.ca.gov

 

For an additional charge, you may access a 24-hour hotline providing consultation by qualified medical doctors on pesticide-related medical emergencies. This service is provided free of charge to Peacock Group insureds.

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