Winter for PMPs is like offseason for sports. While it’s not exactly downtime, pest pressure from insects and other arthropods in many areas of the U.S. is much lower than in spring and summer (apologies to those dealing with cockroaches and rats…).
Tips & Tricks to Prepare for the Season
Here are a few ways to prepare for a productive and profitable 2021:
Inspect and Calibrate Equipment
Inspecting and cleaning equipment at the beginning of the year may save you time and money when the spring and summer rush hit.
- Break down compressed air sprayers and clean filters, replace gaskets if necessary, and check for cracked handles.
- On power rigs check hoses on both the reel & pump connections for leaks and make sure they are connected properly.
- Inspect wiring on electric rigs to make sure insulation hasn’t worn down, and make sure pumps are functioning properly.
- On gas powered rigs make sure oil is changed so your motor doesn’t fail when it really counts.
Once you have inspected and cleaned, be sure to calibrate your equipment, especially things like ULV foggers and boom sprayers that cover large areas or volumes during application.
If your company performs vehicle inspections this a great time to conduct a thorough evaluation of your fleet. Make sure all state-required labeling and documents are present and up to date.
Inspect spill kits for proper contents. Make sure all chemicals and products are properly accounted for, organized, and labeled.
Take Inventory
If you have recently purchased product for the upcoming year you can use this as an opportunity to evaluate your current inventory and organize your stock.
Make sure you have the most current labels for pesticides and that your team are properly trained on any updates or changes. This is also a good time to confirm your rebate status with manufacturers.
Training
The winter months provide plenty of time to catch up on CEUs and any required safety or label training. If you have recently added new products to the APL this is the time to dive in and make sure everyone understands how and where to use them.
This is also a great time to have manufacturers conduct trainings, since we have dedicated training staff that can explain the products clearly and answer any questions you may have.
Winter is also a good time to go over protocols and SOPs. It’s a good refresher for long-timers, a necessary step for new employees, and provides and opportunity to evaluate and update them if necessary.
We’re Here to Help!
- MGK has tips and tricks and lots of training videos on our YouTube channel.
- Get in touch with us to get training and learn best practices for our products.
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