Tips for a Safer Company
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Tips for a Safer Company
- 1. Are all MSDS sheets up to date? Do you have a copy of a letter sent to your distributor requesting such?
2. Are you doing at least monthly unannounced inspections on each vehicle, looking for safety features and that all appropriate materials are properly stored?
3. Have you issued proper gloves to each technician? Are the gloves checked weekly for holes and replaced as needed?
4. Have you issued the proper fire extinguisher and have it mounted in each company vehicle?
5. Are rear mirrors installed for seeing properly when backing up, or are additional mirrors needed?
6. Have you conducted a yearly check to see that all driver=s licenses are valid and up-to-date?
7. Has each technician been given a written quiz on each pesticide label and MSDS sheet of the products that you use? Is this quiz in their file? Do you update as needed?
8. Does each vehicle have appropriate spill control material and does each technician know how to use it?
9. Has each technician demonstrated to their supervisor how to apply pesticides properly with each piece of equipment you have issued?
10. Can the technician make simple repairs on their equipment?
11. Does the technician carry the appropriate tools and spare parts to make simple repairs?
12. Have you issued disposable hand towels for each vehicle?
13. Does each employee know how to properly wash their uniforms or work clothes?
14. Have you issued enough uniforms to allow for daily washing?
15. Is there a policy on how often to clean the inside of company vehicles, including the steering wheel?
16. Does your required dress code include appropriate shoes?
17. Are appropriate safety glasses, gloves and other personal protective equipment issued as required by pesticide labels?
18. Has the technician been trained in how to answer a customer=s questions regarding pesticide safety?
19. Do your pesticides have the highest LD50 value and the least environmental hazard?
20. Does your company policy statement include IPM practices?
21. Are you seeing that each technician is certified even if not required in your state?
22. Are you encouraging each technician to learn additional information beyond the minimum certificate level? Example: Principles of Turfgrass Management correspondence course, Certified Turfgrass Professional (CTP).
23. Do you have a bulletin board policy providing safety tips from PLCAA and other appropriate sources.
24. Are accounts being spot checked to see that the technicians have followed proper instructions and are getting good control?
25. Are technicians visited in the field on some periodic, but unannounced basis?
26. Are new pesticide products first issued to key people on a trial basis on selected accounts and locations before a decision is made as to using it on a regular basis?
27. Do you have posted in each vehicle and in each technician=s wallet the local poison control center=s phone number in the area they are working?
28. When new technicians are hired, are they given a medical examination including their Cholinesterase level?
29. Is there a spelled out initial training program including strong emphasis on safety usage?
30. Are you aware of individuals with health problems that could later alter your application procedures? Example: Persons or pets with epilepsy or muscular dystrophy? Note: On commercial accounts, this is particularly difficult or almost impossible, but at least your technician should try.
31. Are technicians aware of state regulations that are stricter than the EPA label requirements?
32. Are new employees who worked for other LCO firms mandated to go through your training program before being allowed to do work on their own?
33. Are extra pesticide labels instantly available to give to customers as needed?
34. Are all service containers properly labeled, in good shape and changed out as needed? Tip-N-Measure containers are not built to last forever, you have to change them from time to time.
35. Are you regularly (at least weekly) on an unannounced basis checking your garbage cans to see that all pesticide containers are triple rinsed, and disposed of according to label recommendations or state laws?
36. In situations where a customer calls for extra service because the regular procedures are not working, do you simply schedule the property for a re-treat or do you instruct the technician to evaluate what went wrong and determine if any more pesticide is needed?
37. If technicians cannot identify a pest problem, do they bring it into the office for proper identification before applying a chemical treatment?
38. Are the office staff that speak to customers properly trained to answer technical problems?
39. Are your key supervisory people given refresher courses so they are reminded what they should be telling their technicians?
40. Are you reading the PLCAA Safety Materials or just filing them because you are so busy?
41. Are you familiar with all DOT regulations as it pertains to your vehicles, and have you made sure all proper shipping papers are present? Are you carrying the minimum amount of materials to be under the amount requiring extra paper work and safety procedures?
42. Before any vehicles are sold or sent to the repair shop, are they of pesticide odors and clean?
43. Do your gas cans meet OSHA requirements?
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