Should businesses be allowed to perform their own pest control?
This question coming from a pest control operator would sound like a rhetorical question, but it’s not. when you consider the requirements, training, licences, certifications, insurance and risk of doing your own pest control in your own business you will conclude it’s not worth the trouble. It’s much cheaper to hire a commercial pest control company.
This will all depend upon some critical factors such as state requirements on business performing pest control and the training certification that is required to correctly perform an pest control service that is not only effective but will protect the health of the public.
The key to any successful pest control program is to be able to correctly identify the pest problem, one roach is not an infestation but how do you know. In order to be able to come to a conclusion one must be able to know some simple facts about the pest you observe.
Do you know the pest biology, can you identify the pest correctly do you know the difference between a German roach and an American cockroach nymph, do you know the difference between an egg casing of both, can you identify the feces, legs of any other body part that would give you an indication that this is an infestation and what procedures you would use to eliminate it.
Because if you think you can get rid of a German roach infestation with a baseboard spray you’re in for a rude awakening. I have seen office buildings completely infested with roaches by building managers attempting to control their own roaches and restaurants shut down by the health department because the owners attempted for a year to control their own roaches not to mention contaminating their establishment putting their customers at risk of food borne illnesses and pesticide poisoning.
If it were about chemicals everyone should be pest free, you can purchase the same chemicals we have online from reputable suppliers that will provide advise for you.
Can you read and interpret the insecticide label correctly because if you can’t you will most likely end up violating the label along with State and Federal laws putting you at risk of fines, imprisonment or both. Possibly putting yourself and the public at risk and injuring someone ending up in a lawsuit, death and the closure of your business. The LABEL is the LAW.
In the State of Florida it is Illegal for anyone to perform a pest control service to any other property other than in the one you own or live in that is according to Chapter 482.
If you have a business such as a warehouse, apartment building, commercial shopping center or office building or you manage a homeowners association you must get a certification and apply for a license from The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services .
The State of Florida offers two certifications and two licenses for those who wish to perform their own pest control to their own business or by an assigned employee of your company.
Limited Governmental or Private Applicator Certification
https://www.freshfromflorida.com/content/download/23512/484255/limited_govpriv_pkt.pdf
