The National Pest Management Association and the QualityPro Board of Directors recently launched a new member benefit, the OSHA Toolbox, an online resource that will cover the basic OSHA rules and regulations that apply to all of NPMA's members including: the rights and responsibilities during an OSHA inspection, state by state OSHA posting requirements, state-by-state injury and illness reporting requirements and forms, respiratory protection checklists, testing requirements for respirators and basic first aid and
medical requirements.

Best Management Practices

According to the Bayer Environmental Science Development team, the hemlock woolly adelgid and the emerald ash borer, two of the most devastating invasive tree pests in the eastern United States, are best controlled by a systemic insecticide injected into the sub-surface soil around the base of a tree. They recommend their imidacloprid products; Meritand and CoreTect.

BMPs for treating an infestation of various forms of cutworms, as described by pesticide manufacturer FMC, is to locate them by using a soap flushing solution, and if three to eight larvae are found per square yard of lawn turf, apply an insecticide such as Talstar One or Talstar GC in the afternoon or evening, and delay irrigation for 24 hours.

Dow's Defendor® specialty herbicide is designed to prevent dandelion bloom and control clover, chickweed and other common broadleaf weeds when it's too cold for other herbicides to be effective. The herbicide can be tank-mixed and applications can be made in late fall to early spring when weeds are small yet actively growing.

Policies

The EPA recently launched a voluntary star-rating program to encourage pesticide spray equipment manufacturers to produce technology that helps limit pesticide drift. Titled the Drift Reduction Technology (DRT) program, it will award the manufacturers one to four stars depending on the amount of drift reduction achieved when compared to the standard.

An updated version of the National Pesticide Applicator Certification Core Manual, the study guide for preparing to take the Pesticide Applicator Certification Core Exam administered in many states in order to become a certified applicator, was recently released.