PMP success audit: 4 critical safety checklists for field readiness

To give you an idea of where your company ranks in implementing practical tips to improve success and reduce liability, there are four critical checklists every PMP should consider. Implementing these protocols ensures your team is ready for the unpredictable nature of field service.

Key takeaways

• Audit your safety culture: Use a weighted scoring system to honestly evaluate if safety gear, like knee pads and spill kits, is actually being used in the field.
• Master the perimeter: Before any exterior treatment, perform a 32-point inspection to clear items like pet bowls, toys and open windows to prevent off-target exposure.
• Formalize disaster response: A written emergency plan is essential for handling vehicle wrecks, accidental poisonings, or natural disasters.
• Focus on “soft” training: Technical skill is only half the battle; success requires training for active listening, clear communication and respect for the customer’s home.

Click on and expand each of the following to review each list in full.

Safety items checklist+

Grade yourself, scoring four points for each one you feel confident is in full operation for your company. Be honest with the reality, not what you wish it would be.
___Safety equipment: Knee pads issued and used, hard hat or bump cap as needed, goggles, and safety shoes
___Cold water in vehicles during work hours, even when not required by law
___Plastic caps with a small hole to use with pressurized aerosols
___All liquid pesticides in double-sealed containers
___Water containers labeled “not for drinking.”
___Appropriate carrying case to refill the air compressor sprayer while at large accounts
___All appropriate, up-to-date pesticide labels and safety data sheets (SDS) are present*
___All safety equipment listed on pesticide labels and SDS in each appropriate vehicle
___Detailed list in each vehicle indicating what is supposed to be available
___Checklist before initiating a residential perimeter treatment is available
___ID badges for each service technician, laminated and clipped to their shirt or jacket
___Printed policy about not giving away chemicals or control devices (see box, opposite page)
___Printed policy statement that prohibits technicians from carrying any chemical packets or containers in their shirt pockets
___Annual physicals for technicians and management, including vision, respiratory, face, feet and allergies
___Routine unannounced and announced vehicle inspections
___Normal maintenance for tires, oil, brake fluid, etc.
___Safety cones in vehicles and used on every job
___First aid kit in vehicle (check with your insurance company as to what is allowed; you should not have any medication in the kit, for example)
___Spill control kits in every appropriate vehicle
___Documented spill control drills performed with water for each technician
___Driver safety training conducted annually
___Policy regarding cell phone use while in a vehicle is signed, dated and placed in each employee’s file
___Documented ladder safety training conducted annually
___Documented vertebrate safety training conducted annually (focusing on Hantivirus, rabies, etc.)
___Documentation that your insurance policy covers you for any new service you offer, such as bird control

If you can obtain a copy of the paperwork a state pesticide inspector checks for when stopping a technician on the road or at your office, do so. Some states will help guide you as to what they are looking for.