Section: Termite Service Procedures

Subject: Subterranean Termite Baiting Protocols

Approved by: Adam Jones

Effective Date: 1 May 2005

Last Reviewed Date: 1 May 2005

Policy Owner:

Policy #

Massey Services Subterranean Termite Baiting Program is a comprehensive termite protection program using the Sentricon Colony Elimination System. The Sentricon System involves four steps:

1. Monitoring for the presence of subterranean termites in and around a structure.
2. Delivery of a slow acting insect growth regulator (IGR) when the presence of subterranean termites has been detected.
3. Resumption of monitoring for the presence of subterranean termites after control (colony elimination) has been achieved.
4. Performing a localized treatment in areas of known infestation using conventional treating specifications.

The Sentricon System utilizes a computer management system called Prolinx. The technician uses a handheld computer to collect data from each station at each Sentricon site during the day. At the end of the day the monitoring data collected during the day is uploaded into the Prolinx database back at the Service Center. It is critical that the information in the Prolinx Database is correct and kept current. The Prolinx Database and Software is used to store data regarding each Sentricon account and to transmit important information to Dow. Prolinx generates various reports that assists a manager in effectively managing the quality of the Baiting Program.

Staffing #

Service Centers will have one full time baiting technician for every 72,000 lineal feet of monthly monitoring production. Each Service Center will have a minimum of one technician to perform monthly monitoring regardless of the amount of monitoring lineal footage. This individual must be Massey certified in Termite and must also be Dow certified to perform the work. This person does not have to be a full time bait technician and can also hold other job responsibilities. Staffing for baiting will be based upon the following guidelines:

• Installations based upon 1,100 lineal feet per day when liquid treatments are included.
• Installations based upon 1540 lineal feet per day when liquid treatments are not included.
• Monitoring based upon 3,600 lineal feet per day.

Route Organization

All new termite business sold must have a map grid assignment. By use of the Service Center grid map(s), locate each termite customer by address and assign the appropriate grid coordinate. In addition to a standardized map grid coordinate all customers should be assigned Geo-Codes in accordance with Policy #SPP301.

Customers in rural areas can be assigned grids by using the initials of the nearest town or community such as CLMNT for Clermont or POIN for Poinciana, etc., instead of specific grid numbers. Use this procedure only if there is not an available grid map for these areas.

Scheduling Monitoring Inspections #

Once all accounts are assigned a location grid, the Service Manager will organize routes by day for each technician. Each day’s assignment will be based upon the minimum production requirement of 3,600 lineal feet per day for monitoring (based on 16-17 structures at 220 lineal feet average).

1. Routes should be organized to minimize drive time and maximize service time.
2. Large commercial buildings or apartments may allow for more lineal footage per day to be inspected because there will be less driving time between accounts.
3. When organizing routes for maximum efficiency you must ensure that no account is scheduled to be serviced more than 5 days beyond the current service interval. Example: bimonthly customers cannot be scheduled more than 65 days from their last service.
4. Utilize the Visual Route mapping software to organize routes and efficiently schedule each day’s work.

Scheduling New Starts #

All new accounts are scheduled in accordance with Policy #SPP403. It is mandatory that all paperwork be received and placed in the start log prior to 4:00 p.m. the day prior to service being rendered. The baiting account is setup in the Service Pro database and in Prolinx before the start date. At this time a graph is drawn in the Prolinx system using the Massey WDO graph as a template.

Assignment #

The Service Manager will assign work each afternoon during the check-in process. Work is assigned using the appropriate production control documents as outlined in Policy #SPP510.

Baiting Installations #

At the Service Center #

1. Review the accounts scheduled for the day. Look for: location of the property, linear footage, structures to be treated, special instructions (i.e. spot treatment, core drilling, etc.)
2. Print the Prolinx Graphs and attach them to the corresponding Baiting and Monitoring Report.
3. Download the sites to be installed into the handheld scanner.
4. Issue the amount of stations necessary for the installation of the new account.

At The Site #

1. Greet the customer.
   • Never under any circumstances should a Technician begin working in or around a customer’s home before attempting to make them aware of your arrival for service.
   • Explain how, where and what you will be doing.
   • Explain what inside treating will be done if any.
   • Explain where we will install bath trap access panels.
   • Inquire about the location of buried cables and water lines.
   • Ask if it will be acceptable to mark the location of some stations to make them easier to locate when the site is monitored.
2. Measure the structure using a measuring wheel.
   • Verify the linear footage is the same as noted on the sales graph. The manager should be notified of measurement variances greater than five percent.
3. Scan and assign a sequence number to enough stations for the installation.
   • Write the station number on each soil cover with a permanent marker.
   • Stations are installed no more than eight (8) feet apart in Florida and no more than ten (10) feet apart in Georgia.
4. Install the stations
   • Placement of the monitoring stations is critical to the success of the program! The stations must be installed in areas that are most likely to be found by foraging termites.
     • Important-Use caution when drilling into the ground. There may be plumbing, electrical, irrigation, and cable lines buried under the ground. A probing rod can assist you in locating these lines.
   • Wash your hands prior to handling stations or use latex gloves to avoid contaminating stations.
   • Install station number one to the right of the front door and install the rest of the stations in sequential order (i.e. 1-31), counter-clockwise around the structure.
   • Install stations around porches, patio slabs, pool enclosures, decks, etc.
   • Place additional stations where there is an existing food source or a likely area for termite activity.
   • Do not place stations where they will not be effective, may cause injury, or where they will be damaged.

Some Good Locations for Station Placement #

• Next to guidelines that termites will use while foraging for food, such as:
  • Landscape borders
  • Tree roots
  • The edge of a walkway or concrete slab
  • By root systems that are dying
• Areas of ideal moisture for termite foraging, such as:
  • Mulch beds
  • Areas with pine straw
  • The edge of plantings
  • Near a roof drain downspout
  • Next to an a/c unit drain line
• Areas of ideal temperature and “thermal shadows”, such as:
  • Shady areas
  • Next to stepping stones
  • Next to abutting slabs
• Areas of likely activity, such as:
  • Next to a stump
  • Next to wood piles
  • Areas of known infestation
  • Landscape areas inside pool enclosures
  • Next to landscape timbers
  • Next to fences
  • Next to decks

Some Areas to Avoid #

• Low areas where water stands or puddles
• Directly in the flow of a roof drain downspout
• Right next to a sprinkler (if the water puddles)
• Areas that might have been chemically treated (liquid termite treatments, residual surface sprays, etc.). If you are not sure if the house has had a liquid termite treatment then place stations more than one foot from the foundation.
• Hot sunny areas
• If there are no gutters on the structure, Do Not place stations where the water coming off the roof will flood the stations
• Areas where there is heavy pedestrian traffic
• Areas where the stations may be damaged by a lawn mower

Every situation is unique. You must develop a placement strategy for each individual structure. Remember; place stations for maximum effectiveness.

• Perform a localized “spot” treatment at all areas of existing infestations using conventional treating specifications (i.e. dry foam walls, direct wood treatment to the termite galleries with foam, trench and treat the soil, hollow block void treatment, treatment of brick veneer, treatment of inside expansion joints etc.).
• Install access panels, wherever possible, to view all accessible bath traps.
• If more than one structure is being treated, you must lay out the main structure first then each additional structure.
• After installation, accurately record the placement of all the stations on the Prolinks Graph. Note any landmarks on the graph that will help locate the stations on future visits (i.e. stumps, planters, trees, fences, a/c units, etc.).
• Inspect for conditions conducive and note them on the Prolinks graph. Assure the customer has been notified of all conditions conducive.
• Clean the site. Sweep any soil off porches or sidewalks. Rake back any disturbed mulch. Smooth the soil around the stations. o Complete the Termite Baiting
• Start Sheet.
• Complete the Baiting and Monitoring Report and obtain the customer’s signature.
• Review with the customer:
  • What work was performed
  • What was found
  • What they can expect on the first monitoring visit and future visits
  • Conditions conducive that need to be addressed
  • Things they should or should not do (i.e. call if they are going to add mulch or resod, do not tamper with the stations, etc.)
    Collect any balance due

The Monitoring Process #

After the initial installation of the Sentricon System each site must be monitored for termite activity and to perform regular maintenance to the stations. Every station at each site must be checked on a regular basis. The frequency of the monitoring visits is dictated by the Sentricon label. Monitoring of sites must be performed no more than five days beyond the required monitoring frequency or it will be considered a violation of the product label.

Monitoring Frequency #

The first monitoring visit to a site will be 90 days from the initial installation. Ensuing monitoring visits will be as follows:

• Every 90 days when the site is in the monitoring phase – no bait tubes installed at the site.
• Every 60 days when the site is in the baiting phase – one or more bait tubes installed at the site

At the Service Center #

1. Assign the technician’s work according to Policy #SPP510.
2. Download the customers to be monitored from the Prolinx System to a fully charged scanner.
   IMPORTANT NOTE
   DO NOT monitor a site without using the hand-held scanner! If a situation exists that does not allow for the use of a scanner (i.e. lost scanner, broken Prolinx PC, etc.), correct the situation IMMEDIATELY.
3. Print the necessary paperwork. The following paperwork is brought on every monitoring visit:
   • A typed or computer printed Baiting and Monitoring Report
   • 2 copies of the current Prolinx Graph
4. Organize all stops according to the grid.
5. Make any necessary courtesy telephone calls (i.e. locked gate, inside stations, etc.).

At the Site #

1. Greet the customer. Never under any circumstances should a Technician begin working in or around a customer’s home before attempting to make them aware of your arrival for service. Explain why you are there and what you will be doing.
2. Inspect and service the inside first (i.e. check A/G Stations, look at an area that the customer is concerned about, etc.).
3. Check each station starting with station #1 and working counter clockwise. Use a 5-gallon bucket with a bucket buddy to hold your supplies. You will need:
   • Fully charged scanner
   • Sentricon pliers
   • Replacement wood
   • Plastic collection tray
   • Baitube Devices
   • Water bottle with clean water or sports drink
   • Auxiliary stations
   • 18-volt chargeable drill with a 2 inch cleanout bit
   • probing rod o Spare top caps
   • Ant bait
4. EVERY station at the site must be checked. Remove the top cap and scan the barcode. Remove the monitoring device and visually inspect for termite activity.
   • If the station is inactive with no evidence of termite activity – Replace the top cap and proceed to the next station.
   • If the station is inactive, but the monitoring devices show evidence of termite activity enter Hit w/o termites in the scanner. [(S)tatus then Hit w/o termites].
   • If the station is active with termites – the station must be baited.
     • Remove the monitoring devices and collect termites in the collection tray.
     • Scan the Baitube Device then prepare the bait tube by moistening the Recruit IV matrix with approximately 4-6 ounces of clean water or sports drink. Allow the water to soak in.
     • Gently place termites from the collection tray into the recruitment chamber at the top of the Baitube Device and remove the protective plastic sleeve from the bait tube.
     • Place the bait tube in the station and replace the station top cap.
     • Add 2 auxiliary stations within 12 inches of the original station (1 or 2 auxiliary stations in Georgia). Scan the barcodes for the auxiliary stations and enter as new stations. Note the new stations on the site graph.
   • If the station is already baited, check the Baitube Device for live termites.
     • If there are live termites and there is more than 1/3 of the bait matrix left in the tube, replace the tube in the station without disturbing the termites.
     • If there are live termites and there is less than 1/3 of the bait matrix left, recruit the termites into a new bait tube and place the tube in the station.
     • If there are no live termites and some of the bait matrix has been eaten, then the termites have been eliminated. Replace the bait tube with a monitoring device, remove the auxiliary stations and mark the site as eliminated (you will only be able to mark the site as eliminated if there are no other bait tubes in any stations at the site).
5. Replace decayed or degraded monitoring devices.
   • Monitoring devices that are decayed, easily broken, saturated with water, or have fungal growth are no longer palatable to termites and must be changed out with new replacement wood.
   • Monitoring devices that are black, but hard, are still attractive to termites and do not have to be replaced.
   • Bring the replacement wood back to the Service Center.
6. If a station cannot be found, install a new station.
   • Do not remove the lost station from the scanner.
   • Install a new station near the area of the lost station; scan the barcode on the cap, and assign the new station the same number as the lost station. Mark the location of the new station so it can be easily found on the next visit.
7. Repair or replace damaged stations or stations that are no longer functional.
   • Do not remove the station from the scanner. o If a station is no longer usable, install a new station and assign the new station the same number as the replaced station.
   • Replace broken station caps by assigning the new cap the same number as the replaced cap.
   • Use a cleanout auger to remove roots that have grown into the station.
   • Move a station with standing water to a different location or auger the hole approximately one foot below the bottom of the station to allow the water to drain.
   • If there is fine soil jamming the station, wrap the station with a paper towel and reinstall.
8. Relocate stations that are in bad locations (i.e. flood areas, in pedestrian walkways, etc.).
9. Clean the site. Pick up all the trash. Bring used monitoring devices and bait tubes back to the service center. Leave the site looking better than when you arrived.
10. Complete all paperwork
    • Complete all sections of the Baiting and Monitoring Report
    • Update the customer’s copy of the Prolinx graph as to what activities have been performed and any conditions conducive that need to be addressed by the customer
    • Leave the customer’s copy of the Prolinx graph and Baiting Report with the customer
    • Update the Prolinx graph with any changes to the site and bring it back to the Service Center to update the changes in the Prolinx System
11. If they are at home, communicate with the customer
    • Using the customer’s graph, review what work was done and what was found. Leave the graph with the customer so they can follow the progress of the baiting program. & Review the report with the customer. Discuss any conditions conducive that need to be corrected.
    • Inform the customer when the next visit will be.
    • Answer any questions or concerns they may have
    • Obtain the customer’s signature on the report.

Core Drilling #

On some commercial properties there may be concrete, asphalt, or brick surfaces adjacent to the building not allowing stations to be placed in soil areas around the entire structure. If soil surrounds less than 60% of the home, the non-soil areas may have to be core drilled to install stations. Core drilling should always be the last resort for protecting the structure and a surface should never be core drilled without the underground utilities being located by a location service prior to drilling. It should be a rare occasion to core drill on a residential property. The Termite Technical Director should always be contacted before core drilling at a property.

Daily Technician Check-In Procedure #

As part of the daily management of technicians, the Service Manager will perform a brief review of each technician’s daily performance. This check-In process will occur at the end of the day after the technician has finished all of their paperwork. This process will ensure that technicians are performing both a quality service as well as the required minimum amount of daily productivity. This check-In process will also give the manager time to coach and train the Team Member on any issues that they may have encountered throughout the course of the day’s work. The technician will need to bring the Daily Production Summary Report along with all other paperwork that was completed during the day’s work. Check-in procedures are found in Policy #SPP406.

Quality Assurance #

It is the responsibility of the Service Manager to ensure the quality of work being performed and to determine the level of program compliance.

At the Service Center #

Each week the Service Manager will generate three reports from the Prolinx System and review them for program compliance. These reports are:

1. Past Due Site Inspections – this report will identify sites that are outside of the required monitoring frequency. Reasons for sites to be on this report are:
   1. The sites have not been monitored within the required time.
   2. The monitoring frequency established in Prolinx and the Massey data system is not the same.
   3. Sites on the report have been canceled in the Massey data system but not canceled in Prolinx.
2. Incomplete Site Visits – this report will list all sites where all the stations on site have not been checked on the last visit. Review the list and determine the reasons for an incomplete check of all the stations. Some sites may be listed on this report for legitimate reasons, such as locked gates preventing access to the back yard, construction required the removal of some stations, etc. Some sites listed on the report can be an indication that the technician has not checked all the stations at a site.
3. Average Site Spacing – Average station spacing greater than eight feet can be an indication that stations are not being installed at a site according to the baiting program.

On-Site Visits #

The only sure way for a manager to ensure quality and compliance is to inspect what is expected. The Service Manager is required to perform a minimum of four random inspections per month for each technician performing bait production. The manager will select sites that were recently monitored and bring a copy of the latest Baiting and Monitoring Report, a copy of the latest Prolinks Graph, and a copy of the latest Site List to the site. At the site the Manager will:

• Verify the lineal footage. Remove the top caps and check all the stations on the site.
• Verify that the information on the reports is consistent with the site (i.e. bait tubes installed where indicated, termites being baited, etc.)
• Verify that all protocols are being followed, including:
  • Wood being replaced as necessary
  • Auxiliary stations installed
  • Proper spacing
• Check the overall maintenance of the system, including:
  • Broken caps
  • Station placement
  • Stations sticking out of the ground
• Verify the Prolinx graph is updated correctly.
• Verify that all conditions conducive have been addressed.
• If there are any compliance issues discovered during the inspections the Service Manager must correct the situation and take measures to ensure it does not happen again (i.e. verifiable training, disciplinary action, etc.)

Dow AgroSciences Quality Assurance #

Dow AgroSciences has implemented a Product Stewardship Review program that is used to ensure that Authorized Operators are performing the appropriate inspections and procedures necessary for the system to work effectively and to ensure label compliance. Each year our Service Centers will be reviewed by DAS to ensure quality. Failure to pass the annual review process could result in a Service Center being placed on probation and ultimately could lead to deauthorization. It is important to note that our own service standards exceed those of DAS. If you follow our operational procedures you should never be in jeopardy of failing a DAS quality review.

Cancellation Procedures #

In some cases there will be a need to cancel a customer’s monitoring agreement due to non-payment or due to the request of the consumer. When this is the case all of the components of the Sentricon system must be removed from the property. A cancellation request for a Sentricon account will be handled slightly different than a normal cancellation due to the need to go out and repossess the system components.

• Handle an incoming request for cancellation with a strong sense of urgency. All requests for cancellation must be responded to the same day received.
• The service center management staff must do everything possible to convince the customer to continue service. All issues that cause dissatisfaction must be resolved to ensure our customers continued good will and satisfaction.
• When a cancellation is determined to be unresolvable, the components of the Sentricon system must be physically removed.
• Inform the customer that we will send a representative to their home to remove the components of the system. We should make every attempt to schedule the appointment when the manager decides that the customer cancellation cannot be resolved.
• At the site remove all stations from the ground and make every effort to fill in the holes left by the stations. Regrade the mulch or soil to provide a neat and clean location.
• Walk the entire property and be sure that all areas are left neat and clean once we are through.

Downloads #