Bug Briefs
Unlicensed
Operators...
More Dangerous Than the Pests
You've got bugs but are on a
budget. A friend tells you about a friend who can
spray your house "really cheap." Should you
try it out?
"I'd be very skeptical,
and very cautious," warns Doug Brock, a past
president of the Florida Pest Management Association and
owner of Douglas Brock Pest Control of Lynn Haven in
Florida's panhandle. "The chemicals used for
controlling pests in your home and around your yard
should be applied with care. I just wouldn't trust my
family's health and well-being to a friend of a
friend."
Chapter 482 of the Florida
Statutes carefully details the training,
apprenticeships and continuing education requirements
for licensed pest control operators. For example,
before an individual can become certified as a pest
control operator, he or she must work for three years
under the direct supervision of a licensed firm or
individual and pass a comprehensive state
examination. Additionally, in order to maintain the
license to operate in the state, each licensed
operator must complete a required amount of
continuing education training programs every single
year.
"Homeowners have the right
to know and expect that individuals applying
pesticides are licensed and trained
professionals," states Brock. "Another
important consideration is that professional
operators are required to carry insurance coverage. A
homeowner whose property is damaged or whose family's
health is threatened may have little financial
recourse against an unlicensed operator."
According to Brock, a home or
business owner only has to ask for an individual's
identification card, which is issued by the state. If
the owner still has questions, a call to the local
office of the Florida Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services, Bureau of Entomology & Pest
Control can verify that a company or individual's
license is valid.
"If you suspect someone is
operating without a license, you owe it to yourself
and your community to put a stop to it," Brock
emphasized. "FPMA truly believes that you need
to leave the pests to the professionals."
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