Pest control workers have a variety of duties. They inspect houses for
insects and rodents before a real-estate deal goes through. They fumigate
commercial warehouses and treat the foundation of houses to control termites.
They play an important role in making sure homes and buildings are free of
pests.
Chemical formulas are the key tools in the pest control business. Yet concern
over the use of chemicals has seen the development of something called "integrated
pest management" -- or IPM for short. IPM involves using more preventative
measures to control bugs and rodents.
A simple example of IPM would be cutting off the water supply to rodents
to discourage them from entering a building. Another example is to introduce
a predator insect into a garden to get rid of an unwanted pest.
"This program promotes control of pests through educated thought and selective
application, rather than...brute force methods," says Stephen Opal. He is
a pest control worker in Michigan.
John Van is president of a pest control group. He says new, more complex
methods of pest management will require constant training for these workers.
"They will have to upgrade themselves continually as less and less chemicals
are being used. Mechanical and biological control will be used more and more,"
says Van.
Pest control workers have always had to battle a bit of an image problem,
but this is changing. They are no longer called exterminators because the
term is not only incorrect, but also negative. Pest control workers don't
just kill bugs. They also teach people proper sanitation techniques to help
prevent pests in the first place.
"Public image has never been very good, until a problem strikes and people
realize what a valuable service we provide. We don't just use chemicals. We
also provide valuable information and preventative tips," says Bill Walker.
He is a pest control worker in Maryland.
You'll find pest control workers at large companies and smaller businesses.
A pest control worker usually works a 40-hour week, but the hours can be irregular.
That's because workers have to wait for buildings to be empty of people
before they can start to work. This means lots of early morning, evening and
weekend work.
While methods are becoming safer, there are still risks associated with
applying pesticides and other chemicals. You can't take safety lightly here.
You need to be aware of guidelines and wear protective clothing, masks and
even breathing equipment.
For obvious reasons, those with severe allergies or breathing problems
are not well-suited to this kind of work. In addition, pest control workers
need to be good drivers because they spend a great deal of time driving from
one job to another. They also need to be able to lift at least 50 pounds.
A pest control worker's job can be unpleasant at times, requiring a worker
to crawl around in dark spaces looking for pests. You can expect to get a
bit dirty on the job.
"One time I was on my back, looking at the foundation of a house, checking
for termites. I came home with dirt caked in my hair and mud all down my back,"
says pest control worker Carol Watt.