The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) is the UK trade association representing all those professionally involved with the eradication of public health and nuisance pests. The Association places great importance on promoting the highest standards of professionalism within the industry.
It plays a major role in enhancing these standards by way of training courses & examinations, publications, exhibitions and conferences.
In detail, the BPCA aims to:
Ensure the provision of a legislative environment conducive to the profitable operation of member companies' businesses.
Represent the interests and opinions of the UK pest control industry to Government, other key decision makers, the general public and associated industries.
Represent a responsible industry committed to the control of public health pests without risk to the general public, non-target animals and the environment.
Encourage high standards of professionalism within the industry.
Explain the role of the industry in today's society and its benefits to the community.
As BPCA members Sussex Pest Control Ltd have undertaken to observe the associations Code of Conduct, Codes of Practice and allow the association to carry out regular audits of our service and systems.
To establish, maintain and promote the British Pest Control Association as the national trade body representing the interests of the UK commercial and public health pest control industry in general and its members in particular.
Aims & Objectives
To further trade interests of members by promoting the development of pest control service operations and allied product sales covering food storage practice, public health, domestic situations, and ancillary operations.
To encourage the setting and maintenance of high technical standards for the products, methods and appliances used in the control of pests, as well as of their storage, transport and disposal.
To institute and sustain programmes of education and training in pest control, with the objective of improving competence and implementing effective systems of assessment.
To encourage research on industrial, commercial and domestic pest control problems and to collaborate with other bodies interested in these matters.
To observe and keep members informed of the operation of existing laws and practices relating to pest control operations, and of all codes of practice and legislative proposals which may affect or tend to affect the interests of members.
To provide a medium for putting the views of the industry before Government and other authorities, and for making representations regarding legislation, projected legislation and recommendations which may affect the interest of members.
To co-operate with other organisations in the world having similar or allied aims.
To conform with all regulations, other relevant legislation and to do all other lawful things incidental or conducive to the attainment of the objects of the Association.
Conditions of Membership
All Members will:
Act positively to safeguard people and the environment by ensuring that actions taken to control pests do not have a detrimental environmental effect.
Ensure that all research and development work meets current statutory requirements at all times.
Comply with, and ensure that working procedures and records demonstrate complicity with, the provisions of all appropriate legislation in force from time to time together with recommendations made in all relevant Codes of Practice and Guidance Notes. See Appendix 1. Where necessary members will co-operate with the BPCA's appointed consultants or employees when carrying out routine company assessments.
Ensure that any form of promotion, including verbal presentation complies with legal requirements and with accepted codes of practice including the British Code of Advertising Practice.
Ensure that technicians who undertake pest control operations shall have been given adequate training to ensure that they are competent to carry out their duties. This shall be evidenced by assessment under the BPCA Certification Scheme, or other approved scheme at the earliest possible opportunity. Those who are not so qualified should, at all times, have recourse to the guidance of a qualified supervisor or advisor.
Maintain business integrity in fulfilling contracts and honouring guarantees given.
Publicise their professional services in a responsible manner ensuring not to create an invidious distinction between other members, nor make public criticism of fellow members, always bearing in mind that the dignity of the Association is never jeopardised in any manner and that the profession is not brought into disrepute.
Honour agreements made by the Association at all times.
Carry adequate public and product liability insurance and, where necessary, employer's liability insurance.
Members who undertake Manufacturing and Distribution will:
Manufacture, formulate and package in such a manner as to minimize environmental contamination.
Ensure that all products manufactured by them or on their behalf are in accordance with suitably defined specifications backed by adequate quality control facilities.
Members who undertake Fumigation will:
Ensure that all technicians in charge of fumigations using methyl bromide are certificated for those types of fumigations for which they are responsible by holding an Association Certificate of Proficiency for the appropriate modules.
Ensure that all certificated and trainee technicians are registered with the BPCA and that this registration is updated annually and upon the commencement or termination of employment.
Store, transport, handle and use fumigant gases in strict accordance with the guidelines issued from time to time by HSE, the Association and Government legislation.
Associate, Observer, Affiliate, Honorary and Life Members will:
At all times act in accordance with the provisions and intentions of this Code of Conduct as it applies to them.
Enforcement
The enforcement of this Code will be the responsibility of the Executive Board, and any member not conforming to its requirements will be liable to expulsion.
IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES FERAL CATS CAN POSE A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH. WHEN OTHER OPTIONS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED, PEST CONTROL SERVICING COMPANIES MAY BE REQUESTED TO CAGE TRAP THESE ANIMALS, REMOVE THEM FROM SITE AND DISPOSE OF THEM. IN THE PAST THE ACCEPTED METHOD FOR DISPOSAL OF THESE ANIMALS WAS TO INTRODUCE THE CAGE TRAP INTO A LETHAL CHAMBER CONTAINING A MEASURED DOSE OF CHLOROFORM. THIS METHOD HAS BEEN CALLED INTO QUESTION BOTH IN TERMS OF HUMANENESS AND OPERATOR SAFETY. THE ASSOCIATION HAS THEREFORE PRODUCED THIS GUIDANCE NOTE TO ITS MEMBERS AND RECOMMENDS THAT THEY FOLLOW THE PRACTICES LAID DOWN BELOW.
All cats cage trapped be examined for signs that they may be household pets (collars, tags etc.) and if so that they be released.
The servicing company should liaise with the Cats Protection League or other similar agencies with a view to rehabilitating some, or all, of the trapped animals.
In the event that rehabilitation is not possible and there being no alternative to destruction, the procedure adopted should be that of a lethal injection administered by a veterinary surgeon.
Code of Practice for The Humane Use of Rodent Glue Boards
THE USE OF RODENT BOARDS CAUSES CONCERN WITHIN THE INDUSTRY IN TERMS OF HUMANENESS. RODENTS CAUGHT ON BOARDS REMAIN ALIVE. THIS MAY CAUSE THE ANIMALS FEAR AND STRESS. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS THE BRITISH PEST CONTROL ASSOCIATION WISHES TO SEE RODENT BOARDS REMAINING AVAILABLE TO TRAINED AND PROFESSIONAL USERS. IN ORDER TO PRESERVE PUBLIC HEALTH IT IS IMPORTANT THAT AS MANY OPTIONS AS POSSIBLE ARE AVAILABLE FOR RODENT CONTROL. RODENT BOARDS SHOULD, HOWEVER, ONLY BE REGARDED AS A ’LAST CHOICE’ OPTION. IN FUTURE THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES ARE ADDED TO THE BPCA CODE OF PRACTICE.
All other options for rodent control should be considered before adopting rodent boards and records must show that other control systems are inappropriate or have failed prior to the adoption of rodent boards as a method of control.
Where rodent boards are laid these must be inspected at appropriate intervals. This will be at least once daily. Arrangements may be made for boards to be checked by a third party, for example site personnel. Such arrangements should be properly documented.
Boards must be placed in such a manner that they do not present a hazard to non target species and that they may be retrieved and removed at the end of the exercise. The size of the board should be consistent with the target species. For example a rat caught on a board laid for mice may still be able to move the board from its location, making it impossible for the technician to retrieve and despatch the rat.
Records should be kept of all boards laid to ensure traceability.
Rodents trapped on rodent boards must be despatched quickly and humanely. This may be achieved by quick and positive dislocation of the neck. Lethal chambers may be used provided that the gas introduced is approved for that purpose. Drowning is not an acceptable method of despatch.
All rodent boards must be removed by the technician at the end of the exercise and the records endorsed accordingly.
Rodent boards should be disposed of with care. If it is not possible to incinerate the boards, the sticky surface should be covered so as to avoid the accidental trapping of non target animals.
Technicians must be given adequate training and be competent in the effective and humane use of this technique. Any third party delegated to check boards on behalf of the pest control company should be similarly trained and competent.
Code of Practice for Stewardship of Professional Products
IT IS NOTED THAT PRODUCTS APPROVED UNDER THE CONTROL OF PESTICIDES REGULATIONS ARE SPLIT BETWEEN THOSE APPROVED FOR PROFESSIONAL USE AND THOSE APPROVED FOR AMATEUR USE. AMATEUR PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE OPEN MARKET TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THEIR CONTENT, FORMULATION AND PACKAGING IS SUCH AS TO TAKE COGNIZANCE OF THIS FACT. PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN FORMULATED AND APPROVED FOR USE BY PERSONS "ADEQUATELY TRAINED AND COMPETENT IN THEIR USE ...". THOSE INVOLVED IN THE SALE OF SUCH PRODUCTS MUST TAKE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE BEING PURCHASED FOR USE BY SUCH COMPETENT PERSONS.
All suppliers of professional public health pesticides, whether their pivotal business be distribution of such products or whether they are supplying on products for use by others in the course of a servicing business, must assure themselves of the competence of the person they are supplying to or the persons for whom they are intended. This may be evidenced by one or more of the following:
BPC/RSPH (Level 2) Certificate in Pest Control, BPC Diploma Part I, BPC Diploma Part II, RSH Certificate in Pest Control and NVQ II Pest Control
Confirmation of attendance at industry recognised training courses (e.g. BPCA, RSPH, Killgerm Chemicals, CSL, Acheta, ADAS).
Full details of any in-house training schemes.
A recognised attendance certificate at courses for specialist products such as gas releasing compounds for vermin control.
Any BPCA member who may be requested to supply to a pesticide end user with which they are not already familiar should use their best endeavours to ensure that users of professional products can show evidence of one or more of the foregoing.
Code of Practice for Storage of Pesticides
Members of the BPCA are required to abide by the content of this Code. By following it, professional users will help to ensure that they meet their duties under relevant legislation. It contains information on:
Fixed stores, including purpose-built stores, converted existing buildings or parts of existing buildings and small scale storage in cabinets, chests etc.
Mobile stores providing short-term storage away from the home base in vehicles.
Storing small amounts of particular pesticides whose hazardous chemical properties require additional precautions to be taken.
