Members make PCOC. Committed and dedicated PCOC members protect our industry by being involved in the work of the association. Nowhere is this more evident that in the committee work of PCOC. We have built a strong committee structure so that association issues are discussed and managed very effectively. Some issues are then brought before the Executive Committee, and ultimately the Board of Directors for decision making. This process utilizes our time at the Board meetings more effectively and allows for a full discussion of the issues involved.

PCOC President, Travis Swope, has appointed the committee chairs for 2013-2014 and each committee chair will be appointing members. If you are interested in serving on one of these committees, contact the committee chair. Their contact information may be found in the PCOC Membership Directory.

2013-2014 Committee Chairs:

Advertising Review                    Michael Katz

Advisory/Nominations               Scott Howell

Constitution/By-Laws                Gary Rowell

Convention Steering                  Joe Gatto

Ethics Committee                     Dan Prechtl

Fumigation                               Candy Dolan

Fumigation Enforcement            John Sansone

General Pest                            Dean Wiley

Leadership Academy                Travis Swope

Legislative                                Darrell Ennes

Membership                             Terri Bacchetti

Termite                                    Mike McKenzie

Media Committee                     Tom Graston

 

The 2013-2014 Legislative Session of the California Legislature is in progress. Click here for PCOC's Legislative Agenda.

 

Obviously, in our industry, we are no strangers to dealing with rodents. Some companies bait, while others trap and still others do both depending on the circumstances. However, I have recently found that some do not provide an exclusion service to complement their program.

Why not provide exclusion work? Many companies believe they have to have a contractor's license to perform the work. This is not true when it involves standard exclusion work. Usually, all you need is some wire mesh, some attic or subarea vents, maybe some copper gauze, screws, expanding foam, wood putty, and a stapler. Keeping a tool box with all the essentials is a good idea because you can grab it and go.

Typically, you should do a full inspection on the house, looking for possible entryways. The most obvious are missing attic or subarea vents, unsealed pipes entering the house, broken dryer exhaust vents, space under garage doors or just holes in the siding. Other areas to check are where one roof pitch meets with another roof pitch.

Whatever materials you use to seal out rodents, make sure the final patch is smooth. An uneven surface will trigger a rodent to gnaw. Rodents use their whiskers to feel gaps where their bodies might fit. Their whiskers let them know where to try to fit. From there, they gnaw and dig to make the gap big enough. If a rat or mouse's skull can fit through a hole or gap, the rest of the body can squeeze through — 1/4" for young mice; 1/2" for rats.

Common points of entry include where pipes/wires go through walls and under doors.

For the gap under doors, install door sweeps that touch the ground and go the entire length of the bottom of the door. If properly installed, the sweep will brush the ground, but not hold the door open (a fire hazard). Another test is to stand inside the door with the lights off and see if any light shines through gaps in the bottom. Pay attention to the corners.

For utility penetrations, small gaps can be filled with some kind of foam, spackle or caulking. Larger gaps will need reinforcement. Cover the hole with wood or a metal plate (escutcheon plates around pipes) or stuff the hole with wire mesh and cover that with a hardening compound. Some experts say expandable foam will work even though rodents can easily chew through it. If the repair is done well, the surface will be smooth so rodents won't be triggered to start chewing. Use low expansion foam — it's easier to be accurate and a lot less messy. I personally always stuffed the hole with copper mesh first then use expanding foam to prevent rodents from getting through.

Where one roof overhang connects with another, check with your flashlight to see if there is any opening. Typically builders will not fully connect the plywood sheathing underneath. This allows rodents to get into the attic area. A little wire mesh staples to the outside or stuffed into the hole will prevent this. Usually these areas are not visible from the ground, so you probably will not have to do any major cosmetic surgery.

Also, look for trees that touch or overhang the roof. This provides rodents with easy access. Often times rodent problems were solved just by having a tree service cut a tree back from the roof and away from the house.

There are always instances where you may wish to turn a job down. For example, if a roof has Spanish tiles, the curvy "S" looking tiles, with skip sheathing. Rather than using full sheets of plywood, builders with sometimes use 1x4 or 1x6 planks for the tiles to hook on and grab. However, this leaves spaces between the planks and rodents can often times find ways to get under the tiles, because they are not flat, and gain access to the attic. Sometimes the only way to fix this is remove the tiles, plywood the roof, and replace the paper and roofing. This is outside the scope of any pest control license.

After all the exclusion work is done, you will want to make sure you have not trapped any rodents inside the house. Usually, I would set traps at the entry point where I know they were getting into the structural. They have created the habit of going through that opening. I would typically go twice a week to check the traps. Once there was no activity for a week or two, I could feel confident that the problem was solved.

NOTE: Many technicians instantly go to baits because they do not want to take the time to checks the traps. This is a mistake. A rodent can die inside the walls or somewhere in the attic, leaving the homeowner to deal with the odor. Also, with the recent scrutiny of second generation rodenticides, they should be used as a tool in your IPM tool bag rather than a first step. Following up with the homeowner to check the traps builds loyalty with that customer. Some of my best and longest customers had previous rodent problems that I solved with exclusion and trapping.

I can think of one person in particular who was not a customer and did not wish to go on service. She just wanted me to take care of the rodents. I signed her up on a 30-day warranty, performed the exclusion work, and set traps at the entry point. I checked the traps three times the first week and trapped about six rats. After that, there was no activity. The second week, I went out twice to check. The third and fourth weeks I just went out one time and still no activity. I charged a few hundred dollars, and her problem was fixed. About five months later, when she had ants, she called, and I was able to sign her up on service. I called my previous employer before writing this article. She is still a customer after several years.

Now if I had thrown bait into the attic space and walked away, what impression would I have left in that homeowner's mind? She would have had six dead rodents in the attic and had to deal with the odor. Maybe one would have chewed through the drywall. Worse yet, what if a rodent chewed through the wall and dragged some bait out with it or the dog had eaten the rodent and gotten sick — something to consider.

Having exclusion work in your arsenal allows you to add value to your service and help give a more permanent solution to a homeowner's rodent problem increasing customer loyalty. This will also help with your regular customers because you do not have to keep sending a technician out to deal with the rodents. In addition, you can add another revenue source.

SPCB TESTING WORKSHOP

The Structural Pest Control Board staff has been working with the Office of Professional Examination Services (OPES) for the last few months on improving the Operator and Field Representative exams and has removed a number of questions that performed poorly. Branch 2 testing in August had a passing rate of 34 percent.

To help further improve the exams, the SPCB will be conducting Field Rep branch 2 workshops on November 6-7, December 4-5 and January 15-16 in Sacramento. Individuals that attend exam workshops receive: Continuing Education Credit (6 hours technical Branch 2 & 2 hours Rules and Regulations); $125 per day; reimbursement of hotel stay, meals, mileage, tolls and parking; and airfare and rental car, if you live in Southern California

For more information, take a look at this link: WORKSHOP FLYER.Interested industry members can contact Dave Skelton at 916-561-8704 option 9. Dave will start gathering a list of interested licensees.

 

2013

 

Sept. 27-28

Board of Directors Meeting

Catamaran Resort Hotel

San Diego
Hotel Reservations
Flyer
Agenda

October 1

19th Annual Tri District Golf Tournament

Benefiting PAPCO

Coyote Hills Golf Course

Fullerton, Calif.

Registration

Sponsor

October 5
Santa Barbara/Ventura District Golf Tournament
Benefiting PCOC Cares
Glen Annie Golf Course
Goleta, Calif.
Flyer

Dec. 6-7

Board of Directors Meeting

Holiday Inn Golden Gateway Hotel
San Francisco

2014

Jan 8
Pest Ed-South 2014

Quiet Cannon

Montebello, Calif.

Jan 9

Pest Ed-North 2014

TBD

Mar 25-26

Board of Directors Meeting/Leg Day

Sheraton Grand Sacramento

Sacramento

June 19-21

PCOC Expo 2014

Harrahs Las Vegas Casino & Hotel

Las Vegas, Nev.

Sept 26-27

Board of Directors Meeting

Doubletree by Hilton Sonoma

Rohnert Park, Calif.

Dec 12-13

Board of Directors Meeting

Hilton Palm Springs

Palm Springs, Calif.

 

Welcome to a new section of Newsbriefs! Here we will be giving news from our members: new hires, retirements, etc. If you have some news you would like to share, please send a short sentence or two to jenai@pcoc.org.

 

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Sept, 5, 2013 –Norman Goldenberg, senior vice president of government affairs and industry relations for Terminix®, has announced plans to retire from the company at the end of this year. He plans to continue working with Terminix on a consultative basis through 2015.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to have Norm on the Terminix team for the past 23 years," said Larry Pruitt, president of Terminix. "We will miss him greatly, and are indebted to his efforts and contributions that have helped propel Terminix and the industry to where it is today."

Goldenberg graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in entomology. He held various management roles in the pest control industry before launching his own company in the late 1980s. Goldenberg joined Terminix and TruGreen in 1990, representing industry issues on the local, state and national levels. He also was responsible for helping to strengthen relationships with franchisees, manufacturers and distributors, as well as overseeing the company's product sales division.

He is past president of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), the Florida Pest Management Association (FPMA), Project EverGreen and the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) and currently serves on the board of directors for Project EverGreen and PLANET.

In 2004, Goldenberg was bestowed the highest honor the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) can award — the Pinnacle Award. This honor recognizes lifetime dedication to the pest management industry. He has received numerous other industry commendations, including the President's and Pioneer Awards from the FPMA, Hall of Fame, 25 Most Influential, and Professional of the Year honors from Pest Control Technology magazine. He often lends his pest management and lawn care expertise to various forums and has presented to legislatures, regulatory agencies and Congress.

 

 

Carbon monoxide poisoning causes an estimated 15,200 people to visit an emergency room or miss at least one day of work per year. But because carbon monoxide exposure creates nonspecific effects that are easily misdiagnosed, the actual toll of carbon monoxide poisoning is probably much higher.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, toxic gas that results from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels such as natural or liquefied petroleum gas, oil, wood and coal. Potential sources of CO exist in most workplaces in the United States, including furnaces, motor vehicles, generators, gas heaters and other small-engine powered appliances. The risk of CO exposure increases as people move indoors and increase their use of heaters.

When breathed, carbon monoxide displaces oxygen in the blood and deprives the heart, brain and other vital organs of oxygen. Large amounts of CO can overcome you in minutes without warning—causing you to lose consciousness and suffocate.

The symptoms and effects of CO exposure vary greatly from person to person depending on age, overall health and the concentration and length of exposure. For lower-level exposures (below 100 ppm), symptoms may include headache, dizziness, and nausea. People with heart problems may experience chest pain. Higher levels of exposure (above 150-200 ppm) may result in disorientation, unconsciousness, and death. In addition, a growing body of evidence has associated chronic low-level exposure to ambient air CO to higher incidence of cardiovascular disease, stroke and adverse birth outcomes.

To Prevent CO Poisoning:

Install an effective ventilation system.

Maintain equipment and appliances (e.g., water heaters, space heaters, cooking ranges) that can produce CO in good working order to promote their safe operation and to reduce CO formation.

Consider switching from gasoline-powered equipment to equipment powered by electricity, batteries, or compressed air if it can be
used safely.

Prohibit the use of gasoline-powered engines or tools in poorly ventilated areas.

Test air regularly in areas where CO may be present, including confined spaces.

Install CO monitors with audible alarms.

Educate workers about the sources and conditions that may result in CO poisoning as well as the symptoms and control of CO exposure.

Employers with high risk of CO exposure will want to take additional safety precautions, which we can detail for you.

CO Alarms Can Save Lives

Carbon monoxide alarms will sound before CO levels in surrounding air reach potentially life-threatening levels. CO alarms may be installed into a plug-in receptacle or high on the wall. Hard wired or plug-in CO alarms should have battery backup. Avoid locations near heating vents or that can be covered by furniture or draperies. The Consumer Products Safety Commission does not recommend installing CO alarms in kitchens or above fuel-burning appliances.

After installing a CO alarm, test it to make sure it functions properly, following the manufacturer's instructions. And note the alarm's replacement in a tickler file — alarms have a recommended replacement age, which can be obtained from the product literature or from the manufacturer.

Currently marketed CO alarms are not as susceptible to nuisance alarms as earlier models. If a CO alarm sounds, do not ignore it!
-Move everyone in the area outside, to fresh air.
-Call your emergency services, fire department, or 911.
-After calling 911, do a head count to check that all persons are accounted for.

DO NOT reenter the premises until the emergency services responders have given you permission. If malfunctioning equipment has created the CO, DO NOT operate that equipment until it has been properly serviced by trained personnel.

For more information on reducing the risks of CO poisoning and other indoor air hazards, please contact the PCOC Insurance Program department of Jenkins Leavitt Insurance Services at (877) 860-7378 or, email us @ ProPest@Leavitt.com.

 

NAME COMPANY	MEMBER TYPE	DISTRICT
Mr. Joe Allen	R	SANGABRIEL
Assured Audit Pest Prevention
Chris Storm	A	XOS
Thermal Remediation From TEMP-AIR

 

NPMA LOGIN FOR JOINT MEMBERSHIP

LOGIN: 313501

PASSWORD: PCOC

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PCOC website password for 2012-2013 effective July 1, 2012: "beacon"

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

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

Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR)
www.cdpr.ca.gov

DPR on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/capesticideregulation

DPR on YouTube (see "playlists" for videos pertaining to new surface water regulations):
www.youtube.com/user/californiapesticides

DPR on Twitter:
twitter.com/ca_pesticides

DPR LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/company/california-department-of-pesticide-regulation

Healthy Schools Act
http://apps.cdpr.ca.gov/schoolipm/

Structural Pest Control Board
www.pestboard.ca.gov

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

 

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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