Inspection reports

Pest managers use inspection reports to document thorough site inspections and to communicate the presence of pests or pest-conducive conditions to the client. In many cases, inspection reports include specific corrective recommendations. Pest managers commonly use inspection reports in structural pest control and in evaluation of lawns and landscapes associated with structures. They generally conduct detailed inspections at the start of an IPM program and ongoing inspections routinely throughout the program.

The inspection report is a thorough, room-by-room or plant-by-plant assessment of the building, landscape, or other site being evaluated. It differs from the pest control action log (discussed below), which is a brief summary of inspection findings combined with data from pest monitors, sighting logs, interviews and other sources.

Example of inspection report

Pest sighting log

The pest sighting log is a useful tool in structural IPM programs, particularly in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and industrial settings. The pest sighting log is simply a record of pest sightings made by building occupants. Entries note the:

Pest sighting logs are kept in a convenient location and consulted by pest managers during routine inspections.

The pest sighting log gives the pest manager specific problem areas to follow-up on and ensures ongoing communication between clients and the pest control professional. More important, it involves building residents in the process of pest control, the first step toward educating them about how their daily practices influence pest populations.

Example pext sighting log

Pest monitoring log

Monitoring is an important part of any IPM program. A pest monitoring log is a simple record of the number and type of pests encountered by the pest manager during scouting or routine inspections. Monitoring logs serve both a preventative and an evaluative role in the IPM program.

They are preventive because information obtained through monitoring can indicate the need for an immediate control action. They are evaluative becuase a review of long-term records reveals general trends in pest populations that can be used to evaluate the success of specific control measures or the success of the IPM program in general.

Example pest monitoring log

Pest control action log/service report

It is standard practice among commercial pest control services for the pest manager to provide a service report to the client that describes the action performed and the cost of the service. In traditional, pesticide-based programs, this report indicates the pesticide that was applied and often serves as an invoice.

In IPM programs, the service report is expanded to include:

• Information about the pest species encountered
• Documentation of pest-conducive conditions
• Non-chemical control recommendations, such as repairing leaks or removing clutter

For IPM to be successful, the pest manager and the client must develop a true partnership. The pest control action log is a vital link in this partnership. It allows the pest manager to inform the client about current pest activity and conditions that may lead to pest infestations. The log can be designed in any number of ways, as long as it describes:

• Current pest activity (based on monitors, traps, sighting logs, client communication, and inspection)
• Traps or monitoring devices installed
• Services performed to alleviate pest problems (including pesticide applications)
• Specific details of any pesticide application (including the formulation, the application rate, and the time, date, and location of the treatment)
• Recommendations for the client to eliminate pest-conducive conditions

For IPM success, the client must do his or her part by:

• Cleaning
• Removing clutter
• Repairing leaks
• Sealing cracks
• Taking other recommended actions

However, although it is an important tool, the pest control action log should not replace ongoing verbal communication between the pest manager and the client.

Example pest control action log

Pesticide application records

Specific types of documentation related to pesticide use are legally required in some states. In most cases, records such as the following must be maintained for a specified amount of time:

• The pesticide applied (brand name and active ingredient)
• The EPA registration number
• The formulation
• The rate of application
• The location of application
• The time and date of application

For pesticide applications made in a school, hospital, or other sensitive environment, it is a good idea (and in some states, a legal requirement) for the pest manager to provide the client with a copy of the EPA pesticide label and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). Pesticide applicators, landscape managers, and facility managers should consult federal, state, and local regulations with regard to pesticide application records to assure that they in compliance with all legal requirements