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Termite Issue
AEPMA
The pest control industry association is called the Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association (AEPMA) and it has some ownership of the termite issue. For over twenty years, AEPMA and it's earlier version (the Pest Control Association) have bleated about the the fact that builders were paying less than the chemical cost of installing termite barriers in new homes, and that a rogue element of pest controllers were doing the work. Very little was ever done in promoting the cause for installing termite barriers properly.
In the mid 1980's, Guardian Pest and Weed Control (a pest controller doing under slab spraying for major project builders like AV Jennings etc) were called before the industry association to explain why they shouldn't be expelled for doing the work for less than the chemical cost of doing treatments at Australian Standard compliant rates. At this meeting, a motion was moved, seconded, and carried that they be expelled from the association. An argument was made that the industry association had to be an association with ethics and teeth, or an old boys club. After threats of legal action by Guardian, the management committee of our industry association decided to accept Guardian's resignation rather than pursue expulsion, ignoring the motion carried by the general membership. Over 15 years later, Guardian were charged with fraud in the Queensland Building Tribunal, ultimately resulting in the company being fined $53,500.oo.
With the transition to the newer chemicals in July, 1995, our industry association has been somewhat lax about getting the information of what it takes to get the best from the new chemicals to the membership. Treatments even done by the Queensland State president's company have been less than effective.
In one case, we were called to do a pre-purchase inspection on a property at Brookfield. In the course of doing the inspection, the vendor's wife explained they had termites in the decking separated from the home, and that they'd had a preventative termite treatment done to the home. The treatment had been done by the State President of AEPMA. Extensive mortar muck was found on top of the footings, attached decking laid directly on soil in parts had never been removed against the home to facilitate effective treatment, and a soil/timber contact was still formed against the weatherboards of the home. In reviewing the reports from the treatment, termites had occurred to a window sill in the home.
The issue was raised with our client, and in turn the purchaser. After much protesting, the treatment was done again addressing these issues, telling the client that "they didn't really have to do this, but they were doing it as a sign of good faith". For the State President of AEPMA to be found wanting on a treatment was not a good sign that the information was getting through.
AEPMA seems to be very chemical focussed, even though there are limitations now in what the chemicals can achieve. Associate members (usually chemical manufacturers and distributors) heavily sponsor the association, and in some cases, take aggressive roles in industry association activities.
AEPMA needs to take an aggressive role itself in policing the questionable activities of some members, despite their profile within the association. AEPMA needs to become the "Termite Policeman" that everybody says we shouldn't have to be. Our view is simple. Take the role on, or have it done for you by regulation.
Chemical testing is a relatively simple process. To our view, where treatment failures occur, where the initial treatment was done prior to July, 1995, a chemical test should be done under the slab (where the home owner has had no impact), and where the chemical tests show that less than the required amount of chemical was applied, the applicator and their company should be charged with fraud. Rather than charge people with fraud through the Queensland Building Tribunal where direction and monetary penalties are applied, we believe they should be charged through the criminal courts where custodial sentences can be applied for repeat offenders.
Wouldn't that send a shock through the pest control industry. Wouldn't pest controllers suddenly be overwhelmingly motivated to do the right thing? It sounds like a harsh solution, but self regulation of the pest control industry simply hasn't worked. To those within our industry who look upon a solution like this as being bad for our industry, I simply ask if you have something to hide. If you've done the right thing, you have nothing to fear. We desperately need to get some integrity back into our industry, and if we don't do this, it will be thrust upon us.
Some changes have been forced upon us in Queensland. In order to do termite inspections, we must now be licensed with the Building Services Authority. We must have external insurance to operate. (That was a bit of a blow for the larger pest control companies that self insured, that all of a sudden had to spend money to take insurance. It meant that on that front at least, they had to compete with the little bloke) We must have completed units 6, 8, & 10 of the pest control course to obtain a BSA licence. That's not too hard. An 18 year old that had been with us for a week should have developed those competencies.
The different bodies above in red are links to further information on each one. Please follow the links. © Mark Porter 2010
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