The labels of pesticide products are being updated on an ongoing basis, which is one of many reasons why you should read them on a regular basis. I have no doubt that manufacturers will try and keep users informed of significant changes, but ultimately the legal onus will be on the user to follow the label instructions. It won't be any good saying: "I've been using this product for years and I didn't know that they'd changed the label - M'lud"
The products where changes are happening particularly regularly are the rodenticides. When was the last time you read - I mean really read - the labels on the rodenticides you use?
Little changes that you might find in the 'Statutory Box' include:
"The (COSHH) Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 may apply to this product at work."
Did you adequately record the reasons you chose to use this product - bearing in mind COSHH - when you did your initial inspection?
"Search for and remove rodent bodies (unless used in sewers) at frequent intervals during treatment, at least as frequently as you visit the bait points."
Which leads on to the Directions for Use:
"Make frequent inspections of the bait points during the first 10 - 14 days, replacing bait that has been eaten, damaged or contaminated."
I hear that there are some pest control operations that are trying to reduce the number of visits for a rodent control job to just two. Not advisable unless you are confident that you could argue (if necessary in Court) that a reasonable interpretation of 'frequent inspections' is just 'once' after the treatment has started!
And then, how long should you leave the bait down?
The particular label concerned refers to ..."no longer than 4 - 6 weeks"... There are various caveats to this statement, it is true, but you will have had to have justified - in writing - why you chose to ignore this direction at the time of your Risk Assessment.
The label concerned comes off one of the latest products to be launched (Romax Mouse DP), but you can be assured that over time, all the others will have similar wording as labels do need to be updated on a regular basis.
Better take a look in your store...
...oh and don't shoot the messenger.
Coming to a Rodenticide Label near you...
Posted - 08 Dec 2006 : 13:57:48
