[Tech Talk] Our Industry Is Called To Safeguard Public Health

Fred RozoIn our very important role as guardians of public health, we, as pest management professionals, impact society as no other industry or profession does. Medical practitioners, for example, work to maintain our good health, but unlike those of us in the pest management industry, they do not have any control over the safety of our food, the quality of the environment, or the health and safety of our workplaces or homes.

As an industry we work diligently and efficiently to make our environments pest-free and strive to constantly evolve our pest management methods and processes to protect the health of the public in safer and more effective ways. In doing so we contribute to the health and safety of the places where we live, work and play, as well as where we eat.

NUMEROUS CULPRITS.
The threats brought by pests affecting public health are endless. Consider the following examples.

Through modern rodent control methods, pest management professionals play a significant role in helping to maintain the integrity of the food we eat. Without our help it’s estimated that rodents and other pests could destroy half of our food supply.

A variety of structural pests can cause venomous stings and bites and thereby transmit diseases including food poisoning, allergies and Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Pests such as termites and rodents cause millions of dollars in property damage.

Infectious diseases such as West Nile virus, Lyme disease and rabies can be carried and spread by mosquitoes, ticks and bats. Meanwhile, indoor household pests such as cockroaches can contribute to asthma and allergies.

Various microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses and protozoans, can contaminate hospitals, public health clinics and food processing facilities.

Although avian flu, sometimes called bird flu, is an infection that occurs naturally and chiefly in birds and doesn’t pose a significant risk to most people, it can possibly spread to humans in some cases.

Biological agents such as Bacillus anthracis spores, i.e. anthrax, present a serious threat to public health and national security.

Researchers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (Florida Entomologist, August 26, 2010) have discovered and documented five more bacteria species carried by houseflies, and all of them cause illness in humans, ranging from food poisoning to respiratory infections. The services provided by pest management professionals to control and mitigate houseflies are crucial considering the fact that flies can transmit pathogens not only to surfaces but also to the foods we eat.

It should come as absolutely no surprise that bed bugs are back. We read about them in the media almost every day. The pandemic evidence throughout the United States and other parts of the world has increased the significant role of pest management professionals to help with this new threat. Since the ramifications of bed bug infestations are so personal, managing this pest becomes more and more important. The key to controlling bed bugs is education since they do affect the various elements of the human condition: physical and mental well-being, property values, environmental integrity, and the way we live and travel. Therefore when it comes to bed bugs, we as pest management professionals may also need to serve in somewhat of an advisory or consultant role to help eliminate this pest. It behooves us to do so, since we then can potentially turn the tide in the bed bug battle, as we humans are the ones that help spread this pest throughout our environment.

Invasive species are always a threat. As an example, there is a coffee bean borer that has appeared in Hawaii threatening coffee industry production there. The Kona coast of the Big Island in Hawaii is to coffee what Napa Valley in California is to wine. No one knows how it got there, but the coffee bean borer will affect the coffee industry of Hawaii along with the drought that they have been experiencing for the last couple of years. It’s largely up to our industry to successfully eliminate this pest.

FOOD SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS.
Pest management professionals also provide an invaluable component to the safety of the U.S. food supply system through audit inspections where food is produced. These audits are added services our industry provides to food manufacturers and are in addition to the regulatory audits they receive. The deficiencies observed in each audit report can be resolved to the satisfaction of the facility or the buyer of product from the facility through pre-arranged agreements or program enhancements. Ex-amples include announced or unannounced visits; reports to all interested parties; and follow-ups to resolve deficiencies through a variety of reporting methods. These audits also serve as training components for new and existing employees responsible for the actual day-to-day execution of the facility’s food safety program.

We, as pest management professionals, can successfully solve these and any other pest-related problems — from general pest control to the most advanced fumigation needs. In doing so, we do play a very important role in enhancing public health by managing pest populations and educating the public about pest threats. We can be proud of that role and the job we’ve done thus far.
 

Fred Rozo, BCE, works in the Technical and Training Division of Western Exterminator Co., Anaheim, Calif., and is a member of Copesan’s Technical Committee. Rozo received his B.A. in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and began his tenure with Western Exterminator Company in 1982 as a sales/service technician. Over the years he has also worked as service center assistant manager and service center manager. In his current role, Rozo is the risk manager for the company, helps develop and conduct training curriculums, performs quality assurance inspections, identifies specimens, handles pesticide concerns and heads up the company’s Safety Committee. Since 1986, Rozo has also been a state director and active member of PCOC.

Copesan is an alliance of pest management companies with locations throughout North America. To learn more, visit www.copesan.com.