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Smart Systems: Protecting and Retaining Employees: Is Your Spray Equipment Up to the Challenge
1 Jan, 2008 By: Andrew Greess Pest Management Professional
Many pest management professionals (PMPs) state that their employees are their companies' greatest assets. They implement several benefit and reward systems to attract and retain great people. However, many demographic changes are affecting the industry's available labor pool. The work force is aging; younger workers demand more from work than just paychecks and have more employment options; and good employees are becoming harder to find.
Andrew Greess
As employers, PMPs need to do more to create a great work environment for their employees. Because of these changes in the U.S. work force, it is critical for PMPs to ask, and answer: Does my pest management spray equipment strategy support my human resource strategy?
SAFETY FIRST
The first and most obvious consideration is safety. Have all of your equipment hazards been minimized? Have you closely looked at your equipment to identify bump, scrape, abrasion, cut and burn hazards?
Are all moving parts protected? Is the load secure, balanced and appropriate for the truck's capacity? Are chemicals building up in the truck, creating an exposure or slip hazard? Has the equipment been designed to eliminate unnecessary reaching and awkward actions that can cause back strain? This last question is particularly crucial with an aging work force.
Here are three ways to find the answer to these questions:
1. Ask your employees.
2. Use the equipment yourself.
3. Spend a day riding with your employees, and observe them using the equipment in the field.
EQUIPMENT RELIABILITY
Most technicians want to do a good job serving their customers. But they can't do that if their equipment is unreliable and subject to breakdowns.
Employees with some component of variable compensation are particularly sensitive to equipment reliability problems. In our experience, unreliable equipment is a leading cause of job dissatisfaction for technicians.
Has your spray equipment been designed for reliability? Are key components readily accessible for preventative maintenance? Can technicians access key components such as the line strainer (filter) to prevent problems from occurring? Are top quality components used?
When analyzing component quality, don't just consider expensive parts such as engines and pumps, because even low-cost items like fittings and clamps can be reliability killers.
OPTIMIZING PRODUCTIVITY
Is your spray equipment designed for productivity so technicians can meet company and personal objectives? Are extra steps required to do simple activities because of the way the equipment is laid out?
Again, observe how your employees use the equipment in the field. Ask them for ideas on improving equipment productivity. Some equipment upgrades may be justified through productivity gains. For example, rolling up 300 feet of water-laden chemical hose in the afternoon sun can be tiring and unpleasant. One additional residential service per month will more than pay for the incremental cost of an electric-rewind hose reel — and it will keep your technicians happy and more productive.
Take a close look at your pest management spray equipment to determine whether each technology is helping or hurting you in attracting and retaining employees. Involve your employees and vendors in these reviews. Your employees will appreciate your interest in their safety and well-being, and likely will be excited about contributing. Safety issues should be addressed immediately. Other improvements can be built into your designs as you replace old equipment. Conduct this review regularly until you have the optimal pest management equipment for your company and your employees.
You can reach Greess, president of Quality Equipment & Spray, at andrew@qspray.com.
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