Case Study: Building a Culture of Safe Driving - How Hulett Environmental Services Made No-Distraction the Standard

For many pest control companies, distracted driving policies are introduced in response to rising insurance costs or a close call on the road. At Hulett Environmental Services, the approach has been different. For more than two decades, the company has made safe driving a core part of its operations - not as a compliance requirement, but as a cultural expectation.

Today, with 212 employees and 161 vehicles operating across Florida’s east coast, Hulett’s long-standing commitment to eliminating distracted driving offers a clear example of what it takes to build - and sustain - a safety-first culture.

A 20-Year Commitment to Doing It Right

Hulett’s journey began more than 20 years ago with early in-vehicle monitoring technology. From the outset, leadership recognized that driving is not a secondary responsibility for technicians; it is a critical part of the job.

“Our technicians spend a lot of window time behind the wheel during the working day,” said Mike Fearns, vice president and general manager of Hulett’s Lawn and Pest Control Divisions. “We understood early on that if we were serious about protecting our employees and our customers, we needed to address driving behavior in a meaningful way.”

Over the years, Hulett has continuously evolved its approach, layering new technologies and refining processes without ever stepping away from its core commitment. Today, that includes a combination of video telematics and mobile device management tools, creating what Fearns describes as a “one-two punch” for safety.

“There’s never been a pause,” he said. “We’ve always had something in place to reinforce safe driving.”

From Policy to Way of Life

Like many companies, Hulett faced early resistance when implementing a strict no cell phone policy that extended well beyond phones.

Most safety conversations in the pest control industry focus on the obvious - vehicle accidents, slips and falls, or chemical handling.

But as highlighted in a session at PestSure’s 2025 Safety and Loss Prevention Conference, many of the biggest exposures come from everyday decisions that don’t always feel like safety risks in the moment.

And often, those decisions are tied directly to time pressure.

When technicians and managers are trying to move faster, fit more into the day, or solve problems on the fly, they can unintentionally create risks that impact insurance coverage, claims outcomes and long-term costs.

As Abby Thalachelloor, PestSure’s director of claims, shared with attendees that every decision can have unforeseen consequences.

The Hidden Side of Risk

Not all exposures come from accidents. Many come from business practices that seem routine:

• Allowing ride-alongs without clear policies
• Letting employees take vehicles home without defined boundaries
• Using personal vehicles for work without proper coverage
• Overlooking contract language or documentation requirements

These aren’t isolated issues. They are operational decisions that, over time, can lead to costly claims.

Thalachelloor told attendees that companies are often paying for things we shouldn’t have to not because of bad intent, but because of gaps in process, communication or oversight.

Where Time Pressure Creates Exposure

Many of these risks are amplified when teams are rushed:

• A technician brings along a ride-along to “help out” without thinking through liability
• A manager skips verifying a driver’s history to fill an open route
• Documentation is delayed or incomplete because the day got busy
• A quick contract is signed without reviewing indemnity or arbitration clauses

These shortcuts don’t just affect productivity. They directly impact your ability to defend a claim.

As Thalachelloor explained from a claims perspective, lack of documentation or verification can make a case difficult to defend

In pest control, time is always in short supply.

Full routes, customer expectations, seasonal surges, and travel between stops can create pressure to move faster and fit more into the day. But when time management slips, safety is often the first thing to go with it.

At PestSure, we see it time and again; rushed technicians are more likely to take shortcuts, skip steps, or overlook hazards. The result isn’t just reduced service quality. It’s increased risk for accidents, injuries, and costly claims.

The good news is that better time management doesn’t just improve productivity. It directly strengthens safety performance in the field.

Why Time Pressure Creates Risk

When technicians feel behind schedule, small decisions start to add up:

• Skipping PPE for a “quick” application
• Climbing a ladder without proper setup
• Rushing through inspections and missing hazards
• Driving faster or checking phones between stops

These aren’t intentional safety violations. They’re reactions to time pressure. And they’re exactly where many workplace injuries and auto claims begin.

Creating safer outcomes starts with giving technicians the tools and structure to manage their time effectively.

Start the Day with a Plan

A safe day begins before the first stop. Encourage technicians to review their route each morning and identify:

• High-risk stops (ladders, crawl spaces, heavy equipment)
• Longer service times needed for complex jobs
• Traffic patterns and driving time between appointments

A few minutes of planning helps prevent rushed decisions later in the day. It also sets realistic expectations for what can be completed safely.

Build Time for Safety into Every Stop

Safety shouldn’t be an “extra step.” It should be part of the job.

Technicians should be trained and empowered to:

• Perform a quick hazard assessment upon arrival
• Take the time to set ladders correctly and use proper footing
• Wear appropriate PPE every time,

In the pest control industry, your fleet is always in motion. Technicians are navigating neighborhoods, responding to customer needs, and managing tight schedules all while operating a vehicle. That reality makes distracted driving, particularly cell phone use, one of the most significant and preventable risks facing your business.

At PestSure, we view safe driving not as a policy issue, but as a cultural commitment. Encouraging employees to take the pledge to drive phone-free is one of the most effective steps a company can take to reduce risk, protect employees, and strengthen long-term performance.

The Risk Is Real and Preventable

Distracted driving continues to be a leading cause of vehicle accidents, and mobile device use is at the center of that risk. In an industry where thousands of technicians are on the road every day, even a momentary lapse in attention can result in costly accidents, injuries, and liability exposure.

The good news is that this risk is controllable. As PestSure’s loss prevention philosophy emphasizes, prevention - not reaction - is what drives meaningful results.

Case Study Insights: What Works in the Field

Across the PestSure membership, leading companies are proving that a no cell phone policy is not only achievable, but highly effective.

At Ventura Pest Control, leadership recognized that simply having a policy in place was not enough. Early efforts were reactive, focused on discipline after incidents occurred. As co-owner Scott Moberly explained, “We disciplined people for poor driving, but we didn’t have a clear system to measure performance or reward good behavior.”

The company shifted its approach implementing technology, clear expectations, and a reward-based culture. The results were significant: a measurable reduction in at-fault accidents, stronger employee buy-in, and improved operational confidence.

Importantly, Ventura’s experience directly addresses a common concern among pest control owners: will a strict no

Labor shortages continue to challenge pest control companies across the country. To keep routes covered, many businesses are expanding their hiring pool and bringing on first-time or less experienced drivers. While this approach can solve short-term staffing needs, it often introduces a different kind of risk - one that shows up quickly in claims, costs, and operational challenges.

As outlined in our February 2026 blog, The True Cost of Hiring Inexperienced Drivers, the early months behind the wheel are the most dangerous for new drivers . The good news is that many of these risks can be reduced before a new hire ever starts their first route by making smarter, experience-focused hiring decisions.

Experience Is a Risk Control, Not Just a Resume Line

When evaluating candidates, it is easy to prioritize availability, attitude, and willingness to work. While those traits matter, driving experience is one of the most important and often overlooked risk controls a company can use.

Research consistently shows that experience, not age, is the stronger predictor of crash risk. Drivers who have spent more time behind the wheel develop critical skills that cannot be replicated in a short onboarding period, including:

• Anticipating hazards before they develop
• Managing complex traffic environments
• Maintaining awareness across multiple risk points
• Making quick, informed decisions under pressure

These are not just driving skills; they are loss prevention skills.

Reducing First-Month Mistakes

For pest control fleets, many of the most frequent and costly incidents occur within a driver’s first few months on the job. These include:

• Backing accidents in driveways and parking lots
• Minor collisions in residential neighborhoods
• Rear-end crashes at intersections
• Property damage claims involving structures or vehicles

Experienced drivers are far less likely to make these early-stage mistakes because they have already encountered similar scenarios and developed the instincts to

Every day, an estimated 1,000 eye injuries occur in American workplaces.

Most of them are preventable.

Workplace Eye Wellness Month serves as an important reminder that vision protection is not optional PPE - it is essential risk control. For pest control technicians, eye hazards are part of the daily environment. Whether working in crawl spaces, attics, exterior perimeters or commercial facilities, flying debris, pesticide splashes, dust and protruding objects create constant exposure risks.

The Data Tells the Story

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nearly three out of every five workers who suffered eye injuries were not wearing eye protection at the time of the accident.

Even more concerning, many who were injured were wearing the wrong type of protection - typically standard eyeglasses without side shields.

In pest control operations, that gap between “having eyewear” and “wearing the correct protection” can result in serious, and sometimes irreversible, injury.

Common Eye Injury Risks for Pest Control Technicians

Technicians routinely encounter multiple eye hazards during service calls, including:

• Flying objects such as bits of wood, insulation, metal or concrete
• Dust and airborne particles in attics and crawl spaces
• Chemical splashes, mists or vapors from liquid or powder formulations
• Protruding nails, screws and wires in confined areas
• Combined hazards when servicing properties under renovation

These exposures can occur in seconds often while adjusting equipment, mixing product or navigating tight spaces.

Why Complacency Is the Real Hazard

Eye injuries rarely occur because employees were unaware of the risk. They happen because:

• PPE was left in the truck
• Safety glasses fogged up and were removed
• The wrong eyewear was selected
• The hazard was underestimated

Consistent training and monitoring are critical components of an effective eye protection program. Reinforcement matters. Accountability matters.

Best Practices for Preventing Eye Injuries

1. Assess the Environment

One misstep. One shortcut. One unstable ladder.

That’s all it takes for a serious injury or worse.

In 2025, OSHA ranked ladders as the #3 most cited safety violation, with 2,405 total violations. Despite decades of awareness, ladder misuse continues to endanger workers, and too many job sites are still repeating the same preventable mistakes.

For pest control companies, ladder safety is not theoretical. Technicians regularly access attic spaces, rooflines, exterior eaves and multi-story structures. That makes ladder-related fall prevention a core risk management issue, not just a compliance topic for National Ladder Safety Month.

Why Ladder Safety Still Matters in Pest Control

Falls remain one of the leading causes of workplace injuries across construction and field service industries. For pest control companies, a single ladder-related incident can trigger:

• Workers’ compensation claims
• Increased EMR and insurance premiums
• Lost productivity and overtime costs
• OSHA citations and fines
• Long-term employee impact

In other words, improper ladder use affects both people and profitability.

The Real Problem: Familiarity Breeds Complacency

Most ladder injuries do not happen because employees lack access to safety rules. They happen because:

• The wrong ladder was used for the job
• The ladder was not inspected
• The base was unstable
• The technician overreached
• Someone stood on the top step
• Three points of contact were ignored

These are not complex violations. They are routine shortcuts. That is why structured training and reinforcement matter.

Five High-Impact Ladder Safety Controls

Rather than repeating generic safety reminders, companies should focus on controls that measurably reduce risk.

1. Standardize Ladder Selection

Require technicians to use the correct ladder type and load rating for every task. Extension ladders must extend at least 3 feet beyond a landing surface. Never allow work from the top three rungs of an extension ladder.

Document ladder specifications in your fleet and

In today’s pest control industry, hiring decisions carry more weight than ever. Labor shortages, seasonal spikes in demand and growth goals often push companies to move quickly when filling open positions. But when it comes to fleet safety, workplace injuries and long-term risk, who you hire - and how you hire - has a direct correlation to your loss history, insurance costs and overall operational stability.

At PestSure, we consistently see a strong connection between structured hiring practices and improved safety outcomes. The companies that treat hiring as a frontline risk management function often outperform their peers in auto, general liability and workers’ compensation performance.

Safety Starts Before Day One

Safety does not begin at orientation. It begins during recruitment.

Clear job descriptions should outline not only driving expectations, but also physical demands, ladder usage, pesticide handling responsibilities and customer-facing accountability standards. When expectations are communicated early, applicants self-select and the likelihood of poor fit decreases.

Pre-employment screening is equally critical. This includes:

• Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) reviews
• Background checks
• Verification of prior driving and work history
• Drug and alcohol screening where appropriate
• Evaluation of prior safety incidents or workers’ compensation claims where permissible

Companies that skip or rush these steps assume unnecessary exposure. A single at-fault accident, ladder fall or misapplication incident tied to a preventable hiring oversight can impact your loss ratio for years.

Experience Matters; Structure Matters More

While experienced technicians may present lower initial risk, experience alone does not guarantee safe behavior behind the wheel or on the jobsite. A structured onboarding process closes the gap between hiring and performance.

High-performing pest control companies implement:

• Documented driver training programs
• Distracted driver and defensive driving education
• Ride-along evaluations
• Slip, trip and fall prevention training
• Ladder safety certification and inspection protocols
• Safe pesticide handling and application training
• Written

Labor shortages have pushed many pest control companies to widen the hiring net, often bringing in younger or first-time commercial drivers to keep routes covered. In the short term, it allows companies to fully staff routes and maintain growth, but when it comes to fleet risk, novice drivers can quietly introduce costs that far exceed payroll savings.

For pest control business owners and managers, understanding how inexperience impacts claims, losses, training demands, and long-term insurability is critical to protecting both people and profits.

Why Inexperience Matters More Than Age

It’s easy to assume risk is tied primarily to age, but research from the National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence at Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, consistently shows that experience is the stronger predictor of crashes.

Here’s what pest control owners and managers should understand.

1. Hazard Recognition Takes Time to Develop

Experienced drivers anticipate problems. Novice drivers react to them. New drivers often struggle with:

• Scanning intersections effectively
• Identifying developing hazards
• Managing blind spots
• Monitoring multiple risk points at once

In a pest control setting, this commonly leads to:

• Intersection collisions
• Rear-end crashes
• Sideswipes in residential neighborhoods
• Fender-benders in parking lots

The ability to anticipate risk improves with time - but early-stage drivers have not yet built that instinct.

2. Distraction Is a Significant Exposure

Today’s technicians increasingly rely on mobile tools to do their job:

• GPS routing
• Dispatch software
• Digital service tickets
• Customer communication

Novice drivers are especially vulnerable to distraction because they have not yet automated basic driving behaviors. When attention shifts to a device, hazard awareness drops dramatically.

Distracted driving remains one of the most common contributors to severe liability claims and that is why PestSure has implemented a cell phone free policy with its insureds.

3. Fleet Vehicles Are Different from Personal Cars

Most new

While summer heat gets plenty of attention, winter brings its own serious safety challenges for pest control professionals especially those working in cold-weather climates. Snow, ice, reduced daylight, and hazardous driving conditions all increase the risk of injuries and accidents on the job. As temperatures drop, awareness and preparation become critical to keeping technicians safe and operations running smoothly.

Just as with heat exposure, cold-related hazards can be managed with proper planning, training, and smart work practices.

Winter Weather Hazards to Watch

Slips, Trips, and Falls - Icy sidewalks, snow-covered steps, frozen driveways, and wet entryways create prime conditions for slips and falls. These incidents remain one of the leading causes of workplace injuries during winter months and can result in sprains, fractures, or worse.

Driving in Snow, Ice, and Early Darkness - Winter driving increases exposure to vehicle accidents due to slick roads, limited visibility, and longer stopping distances. Add early sunsets and unpredictable weather, and technicians may find themselves navigating challenging conditions during both morning and evening routes.

Cold Stress and Exposure - Extended exposure to cold temperatures can lead to cold stress, numbness, reduced dexterity, and in extreme cases, frostbite or hypothermia. Even moderate cold can impair judgment and slow reaction time factors that raise the risk of injury.

How to Stay Safe in Cold Weather - Pest control professionals can reduce winter risks by focusing on footwear, driving habits, clothing, and job-site awareness.

Slips and Falls Prevention

Wear Proper Footwear

• Choose boots with slip-resistant soles designed for icy conditions.
• Use traction aids or cleats when working on snow- or ice-covered surfaces.
• Replace worn footwear before winter conditions worsen.

Watch Your Step

• Take shorter steps and walk slowly on icy surfaces.
• Use handrails whenever available.
• Test surfaces before stepping fully, especially on shaded or untreated areas.

Maintain