Pesticide Application Checklist
When the district has used all other means of pest eradication and has not met the target level with the pest, then pesticides will be used. Here are some of the precautions that should take place before the application of pesticides.
Things to do before an application:
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All items for human consumption (such as food, beverages, drugs and medicines) which are not intact in the original manufacture’s airtight containers (such as sealed glass or metal) must be removed from the structure prior to application or double-bagged plastic sealed bags.
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Remove all area carpeting.
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Have the student take home all personal clothing and backpacks. Have them washed before they return to school.
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The food inside refrigerators and freezers must also be placed in bags as mentioned above.
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Remove all mattresses and pillows with waterproof covers, such as “can’t wet” mattresses for infants or sickrooms, or remove the covers.
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All living things, such as pets (including fish aquariums and growing plants) must be removed from your classroom before the application begins.
- All cabinets, drawers, closets and interior doors must be opened. Raise blinds, open drapes and attic vents.
To bag or not to bag...that is the question.
Protecting consumable items like food and medicine is part of every application. However, from time to time questions arise about which items need to be double-bagged and which items can remain in the structure un-bagged during the application. Here are some examples to guide you as you prepare your classroom for application.
Bag these…
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Animal feed, like human food, needs to be bagged or removed.
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Food packaged in cardboard boxes, like cereal, need to be bagged or removed because the interior plastic bag may not be airtight.
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Spices without their original manufacturer’s airtight seal intact must be bagged or removed.
- Eggs must be bagged or removed from the structure.
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Aspirin and other similar ingestible medicines need to be bagged or removed.
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Cottage cheese should be bagged or removed because resealable containers, including Tupperware and other storage containers do not form airtight seals.
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Ice cubes should be discarded before the application and the ice-maker turned off.
When in doubt, take it out…
If there is any question as to the seal on an item, the best approach is to take it out of the structure to be fumigated or double-bag it.
After the application…
Wipe down all countertops, clean all restrooms, vacuum the carpets, mop the floors. Clean the doorknobs and anywhere a student will touch. The structure must not be re-entered until it has been declared cleared for re-entry by the licensed applicator and/or the re-entry time on the application sign.
For more information visit www.cdpr.ca.gov.