Distracted driving comes in many forms, but cell phone use while driving has become the most prevalent type of distracted driving. And the pest control industry is not exempt from the negative impacts of distracted drivers.

To raise awareness on the topic with pest control business owners and managers and help them identify strategies to mitigate the number of distracted driving incidents and reduce the financial impact that accompanies them, PestSure welcomed more than 100 of its insureds to Memphis, September 27-28 for the captive’s annual Safety and Loss Prevention Conference.

Keynoting the event was Dr. Paul Atchley of the University of South Florida who discussed “The Science Behind Distracted Driving.”

Atchley told attendees multitasking while driving - trying to make a phone call, respond to a text, adjust the radio – all the while staying focused on the road is a myth. While many drivers feel they are capable of multitasking while behind the wheel, Atchley said research and crash statistic data proves otherwise, especially with younger drivers.

“You need your brain to drive safely, and multitasking is an impossible task for the brain,” said Atchley. “And attempting to do it while driving is a recipe for disaster.”

Phishing attacks are one of the most prevalent types of cybercrimes with over 500 million phishing incidents reported in 2022. For perspective, which is over double the number of reported attacks in 2021 – and not surprisingly so, as it is one of the easiest types of scams to fall prey to.

In addition to the inconvenience and loss of trust from customers and employees, phishing attacks cost consumers and businesses $52 million in the United States in 2022.

While PestSure is known for its work educating and training pest management professionals from the daily hazards of distracted driving, ladder safety and fall protection, it also wants to make them aware of cybersecurity best practices around phishing attacks.

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month and with the ever-increasing threat of phishing attacks via email, phone, or text, PestSure wants to provide the following tips to stay one step ahead of the threat.

Tips to Avoid Phishing Attacks

Pest control professionals often encounter challenging environments when dealing with pest infestations, which can include climbing ladders, accessing roofs, or working in confined spaces. Fall protection training helps technicians and inspectors identify potential fall hazards and take proactive steps to mitigate those risks, reducing the likelihood of accidents.

Working at heights, such as on roofs, ladders, or elevated platforms, can be dangerous. Falls from a roof, through a ceiling or skylight, off a ladder at even relatively low heights can result in serious injuries or fatalities.

Regular fall protection training equips pest control professionals with the knowledge and skills to prevent falls and minimize the risks associated with working at heights. An employee’s knowledge will protect them.

Benefits of Fall Protection

In addition to keeping employees and customers safe, companies providing regular fall protection training realize the following benefits:

The work in the pest control industry can be physically demanding. Navigating crawl spaces and attics, climbing on ladders to inspect drop ceiling and roofs, and carrying bulky items from backpack sprayers to electrical cords, requires a certain degree of fitness.

After a long day at work, however, it might be difficult for technicians to talk themselves into a fitness workout. To balance exercise with a physically demanding job, technicians should try to modify their workouts to be compatible with their work demands.

Finding physical activities that they enjoy is critical to success in avoiding workplace injuries. With exercise, even some is better than none. Even if they don’t have time for daily exercise, they can still benefit from fitting some physical activity into their week. Physical activity outside of work can help boost energy, strengthen muscles, and improve mobility.

Fitness can also play a significant role in helping pest control technicians work more effectively and efficiently. Here are some ways in which fitness can positively impact pest control technicians' performance:

Physical Stamina - Technicians often need to work long hours, frequently in challenging and physically demanding environments. Being physically fit improves their stamina and endurance, allowing them to maintain high energy levels throughout the day and perform their tasks with less fatigue.

It seems simple enough. Stop at a red light or stop sign at the intersection and look both ways and you should be fine. If it was only that simple.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), on average, rear-end collisions account for one-third (33 percent), or around two million, of the six million traffic accidents that occur annually. And rear end collisions often involve injuries.

Navigating an intersection requires a driver’s complete and undivided attention. Their defensive driving skills are needed to safely navigate these controlled traffic zones.

One type of accident that has been on the rise involves a driver rear ending another vehicle at an intersection. The second or third car back in a line of stopped traffic is typically responsible for this collision. This mishap occurs when the first vehicle at the front of the stopped traffic does not move forward when the traffic light turns green.

It is likely that this driver has become distracted while sitting at the light or, at times, this front driver can see some hazard that the cars behind cannot see. The driver following the vehicle that has not responded to the green light then runs into the back of the vehicle that is not moving.

Electrical hazards are listed as the cause of 4,000 injuries annually and while only a small portion of these occur on the job, workplace electrical incidents are often more likely to be fatal, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International.

Pest management professionals encounter potential electrical hazards while performing many routine services from working in crawlspaces and attics to using ladders to access roofs.

Service technicians and inspectors are protected from electrical hazards by barriers placed between them and wires that carry high voltage through customer’s homes and commercial properties but what happens when this barrier is taken away? How do technicians protect themselves if they cannot see it, smell it, or otherwise know it is there?

Safety Tips

Safety training for working around electricity is crucial to ensure that workers understand the potential hazards associated with electrical systems and equipment. Here are some key components that pest control business owners and managers should include in electrical safety training for technicians and other employees:

A well-designed on-the-job training program is essential for ensuring that employees acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their jobs effectively and safely. This is especially important in the pest control industry.

At the 2022 PestSure Safety and Loss Prevention Meeting, Mark VanderWerp, manager of education and training with Rose Pest Solutions in Detroit, presented how he has developed effective on-the-job training programs that deliver both safety and technical proficiency.

“A lot of on-the-job training programs are written from a technical standpoint but are not safety driven, and that needs to change,” says VanderWerp. “The pest control industry has a lot of exposure to safety hazards in the common tasks technicians perform every day.”

Common exposures like checking and installing bait stations, performing applications with a backpack sprayer, pulling hoses, climbing ladders or using extension poles to remove spider webs or stinging insect nests, carrying heavy items and crawling under things are the leading causes on-the-job injuries.

Many of these injuries can be avoided by establishing a consistent and comprehensive on-the-job training program that demonstrates safe work methods.

In a recent survey from a national insurance company on perceptions and behaviors related to distracted driving, a third of business executives surveyed expect their workers to answer or participate in work-related calls while driving – and 42 percent of workers say they oblige.

Why do workers accept work calls, texts and emails while driving? Here is what survey respondents said on the topic:

• The call might be a work-related emergency (43 percent).
• They feel they need to always be available (39 percent).
• They believe ignoring a call will upset their supervisor (19 percent).

The impact of taking those calls or texts is significant. According to the National Safety Council, cell phone use or texting was a factor in 13 percent of driving accidents that resulted in fatalities.

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and PestSure wants to share valuable safety information with pest control professionals on distracted driving involving two of the most commonly used technologies – cell phones and GPS.

Safe Cell Phone Usage Tips

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, accidents resulting from fall protection and ladders are among the most frequently cited violations of workplace safety standards.

Linda Midyett, vice president and loss control director for PestSure, says the pest control industry is no stranger to the risks presented by falls and ladder usage.

“Pest control professionals deploy ladders and fall protection every day to perform services for customers,” said Midyett. “With an increase in the demand for bird management services and the need to access attics, crawlspaces and roofs of both commercial and residential structures, technicians are spending more time on ladders and lifts.”

As a result, Midyett encourages company owners and managers to schedule regular ladder safety and fall protection training for their employees. She also encourages pest control professionals to take the time to carefully consider the following variables before stepping on a ladder to perform a service: 

• The length of time the job will require.
• The materials and tools required.
• The worksite setup.

“If the job requires extended hours working from a ladder, carrying excessive loads while climbing a ladder, and overreaching while on the ladder, consider the options of using a scaffold or an aerial lift,” said Midyett.

Selecting the correct ladder for the job at hand and following proper set up and usage practices is essential to safe ladder usage.

The difference between a big spill and a small spill often comes down to your employees’ reaction to the spill when it first occurs. A spill of pest control products needs prompt, correct, and well planned attention. Most often, a spill can be a minor occurrence when a well-designed spill control plan is trained on and executed.

A spill can occur when you are mixing, applying, or just driving with product in your truck. The best scenario is to prevent a spill from occurring in the first place and practicing safe chemical handling procedures, good truck organization, and safe driving will all help to prevent spills.

At the 2022 PestSure Safety and Loss Prevention Meeting, Alan Harlan, vice president of service and quality control for Team Pest USA in Charlotte, North Carolina, shared his experiences developing spill control training programs and how pest management professionals can do the same in their operations.

The Four Cs of Spill Control

What is the most effective way to prepare technicians to follow proper spill control practices? Harlan says it is important to make spill control training a priority starting with the onboarding process, making it a recurring topic in training sessions and emphasizing it as an important part of your overall safety culture.

Parking lots are a lot riskier than most drivers think.

Many pest control technicians likely believe there is a greater chance of being involved in an accident while driving between service appointments than maneuvering through a crowded parking lot.

Would it surprise you that 20 percent of vehicle accidents take place in parking lots and garages? That is 1 in 5 accidents, according to statistics from the National Safety Council.

All too often, technicians park their service vehicle in a manner that invites trouble. Parking lots are full of hazards including backing vehicles, pedestrians, carts, confusing traffic patterns, limited visibility and congestion. In addition, many lots have fixed objects such as utility access points, barricades, cart corrals, and landscape.

Since most parking lot accidents happen when exiting the lot, it is important for technicians to plan their exit route ahead of time. And even though their vehicle and other vehicles are moving slowly in a parking lot a collision can still result in significant damage and possibility for injury.

Parking Lot and Backing Best Practices

Most parking lot and backing crashes are "preventable” if technicians follow their driver safety training. To help reduce the risk of being involved in a parking lot, PestSure offers the following tips to help technicians develop better safe driving practices.

Reducing the severity of claims resulting from automobile accidents and on-the-job injuries is always top of mind for pest management professionals as they navigate their businesses through waters that are more litigious than ever.

To assist pest control business owners and managers identify practices that can reduce the severity and cost of claims, and promote an enhanced culture of safety, PestSure welcomed more than 100 of its insureds to Park City, Utah, October 25-26 for the captive’s annual Safety and Loss Prevention Conference.

“Having more than 100 industry professionals invest in two days of intense learning and networking on safety and loss prevention tells you that PestSure member companies are serious about reducing risks for their companies, employees and customers,” says Todd Burke, COO of PestSure. “There is no other event like this in the pest control industry and it reinforces our commitment to provide our insureds with the tools they need to create proactive safety cultures in their organizations.”

The two-day event featured presentations that positively influence the way pest management professionals train and educate employees on best practices to reduce risk while protecting consumers, and their homes and businesses from destructive and health-threatening pests. In addition to risk reduction strategies, attendees identified methods for reducing costs and inefficiencies associated with not developing and continuously promoting good safety practices.

Featured sessions at the Safety and Loss Prevention Conference included:

Pest control professionals can control many job hazards with the proper selection and use of personal protective equipment (PPE), but not all hazards can be eliminated or mitigated solely by using PPE.  

Some of the hazards technicians and inspectors face on the job are only identified and controlled by a game-time decision. What do we mean by game-time decision? A decision about something that is unknown until the moment the decision is made.

Whether it is done performing a bird exclusion job on a roof or a rodent clean out in a crawlspace, these game-time decisions are typically within the control of technicians. And they rely heavily on the knowledge obtained through on the job training and classroom education to identify and eliminate or mitigate these hazards.

Hazard Identification Tips

Successfully identifying and mitigating job site hazards, requires pest control professionals to take the time to assess the situation and make decisions based on their training, experience and the conditions on the ground.

Drivers struck and killed an estimated 7,485 people on foot in 2021 – the most pedestrian deaths in a single year in four decades and an average of 20 deaths every day, according to data collected by the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Hitting a pedestrian is most drivers’ worst nightmare. The potential for serious injuries when a car strikes a person can be very high, and the driver suffers even when they did their very best. Your best defense to avoid a pedestrian collision is to focus 100% on your drive avoiding all distractions.

Since pest control service personnel are continually pulling in and out of driveways and entrances to commercial properties, it is vital that they are keenly aware of walkers, joggers and bike riders.

Five Tips to Avoid A Pedestrian Collision

What can pest control professionals do guard against a collision with a pedestrian? PestSure offers the following tips that can be incorporated into a company’s driver safety programs.

The structural pest control industry is no stranger to sub-contractors. From termite pre-treatments and fumigations to lawn care and construction repairs, PMPs rely on subcontractors to fill in the service gaps and allow them to provide more services to clients.

Working with subcontractors is not without risk, however, and many pest management professionals are not fully aware of the perils as it relates to insurance.

Kristina Phillips, CIC, CRM, vice president and director of client services for PestSure at

Alliant Specialty, says pest management professionals need to carefully review the details in their subcontractor agreements and contracts, and make sure they are indemnified.

“PMPs must ensure the subcontractor can comply with all the requirements included in the contract,” says Phillips. “If something goes wrong and there is a claim, the pest management professional is ultimately responsible. Many PMPs don’t realize that and assume the subcontractor will take care of it.”

More than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year in the United States, and more than 800,000 receive medical attention for dog bites, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Any dog breed – no matter how cute and friendly, no matter the size – can bite. That puts pest control service technicians, inspectors and sales personnel, at risk as they visit customers’ homes, apartments and businesses to deliver essential services.

Dog bites range from minor nips to full attacks. Regardless of the severity, the potential exists for infection, scarring, healing complications, and recovery time that interferes with an employee’s work and personal schedule.

Preventing Dog Bites

Dog bites are an all-too-common injury, but they are preventable. The key to prevention is communication and planning. This injury should be extremely infrequent if technicians take every opportunity to ensure their personal safety before arriving at an account.

Have you experienced an aggressive driving experience, or unintentionally been an aggressive driver yourself? It’s far more common than you may think, and the consequences of aggressive driving behaviors including tailgating and abrupt turns - can be devastating.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 66 percent of traffic fatalities are caused by aggressive driving.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has reported that nearly 80 percent all drivers affirmed that they had experienced extreme anger, aggression, or road rage while driving. And roughly 78 percent of drivers admit to engaging in aggressive behavior themselves.

What Is Aggressive Driving?

Aggressive driving behaviors include tailgating, intentional quick stops, abrupt lane changes, offensive hand gestures, failing to yield the right-of-way, inappropriate high beam use, speeding to overcome a vehicle and cutting another driver off. This blog will focus on the avoidance of aggressive driving as both the source and the recipient.

What is a catalytic converter?

An integral part of all modern gasoline powered automotive engines, the catalytic converter's job is to reduce tailpipe emissions by catalyzing exhaust gasses into compounds that are safer for the environment. Hopefully everyone remembers Chem 101.

Why is it valuable? 

Catalytic converters for gasoline-powered auto engines contain precious metals: platinum, rhodium, and palladium. A catalytic converter contains just a few grams of each, but that is all it takes to drive up the value from $300 to $1500+ depending on age and what vehicle the catalytic converter was taken from. An experienced thief only needs minutes to perform the necessary work to steal the converter and the return can be quite lucrative. However, the value can plummet to less than $100 if the thief can't sell the catalytic converter to a legitimate recycling company and instead has to sell as scrap metal. This typically happens when legitimate recyclers detect the catalytic converter was stolen and refuse to buy for fear of knowingly buying stolen goods.

Although modern diesel engines also use a catalytic converter, they do not use the same precious metals that are required by gasoline engines. These vehicles are much less susceptible to catalytic converter theft.

It may not be the dog days of summer yet, but you would never know it. The climate outlook for the month of July, according to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, is that temperatures will be well above average across much of the country, spanning the Mountain West to the East Coast.

For service technicians, summer not only means dealing with increased pest pressure and full routes but dealing with the heat found in crawlspaces and attics. Knowing the signs of heat-related illnesses and training employees on ways to reduce their exposure to excessive heat can head off problems.

Heat Related Illnesses

Problems develop when the body’s cooling mechanisms do not work properly. For example, when the air temperature exceeds body temperature, the body cannot easily cool itself. If the air is humid, sweat also does not evaporate quickly. Sweat also does not evaporate from a person wearing protective gear making heat-related illness a concern in any weather, anywhere.

Heat-related illness takes several forms. Heat rash occurs when sweat ducts become clogged. Heat cramps are painful muscle spasms caused by the loss of electrolytes from heavy sweating. If you develop these conditions, immediately get out of the heat so you can rest.

It may not be the dog days of summer yet, but you would never know it. The climate outlook for the month of July, according to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, is that temperatures will be well above average across much of the country, spanning the Mountain West to the East Coast.

For service technicians, summer not only means dealing with increased pest pressure and full routes but dealing with the heat found in crawlspaces and attics. Knowing the signs of heat-related illnesses and training employees on ways to reduce their exposure to excessive heat can head off problems.

Heat Related Illnesses

Problems develop when the body’s cooling mechanisms do not work properly. For example, when the air temperature exceeds body temperature, the body cannot easily cool itself. If the air is humid, sweat also does not evaporate quickly. Sweat also does not evaporate from a person wearing protective gear making heat-related illness a concern in any weather, anywhere.

Heat-related illness takes several forms. Heat rash occurs when sweat ducts become clogged. Heat cramps are painful muscle spasms caused by the loss of electrolytes from heavy sweating. If you develop these conditions, immediately get out of the heat so you can rest.