Termite Tenting Safety

Tenting Process

• The procedure for tenting a structure focuses on creating a sealed environment. Contractors have several sizes of tenting material to custom-fit a structure. The seams are sealed using industrial clips and the material around the foundation is held down using weights that generally consist of sand or metal. Finally, any vegetation that is planted in the soil next to the structure, such as trees and shrubbery, that cannot be removed are draped and sealed with heavy plastic or other material to protect them.

Basics of Tenting Safety

• The National Pest Management Association (formerly the National Pest Control Association) produced a checklist for fumigation safety years ago that is still relevant to modern termite tenting. This checklist covers such topics as fumigation site familiarity and preparation, notification of fire and medical personnel, fumigation worker and occupant safety, security procedures during the tenting process, and clearing the property after the tenting is completed.

Fumigant Safety

• The chemicals used for termite tenting contain high levels of toxicity. It is important for the workers applying these chemicals to read and understand all label information before using them. There are also general guidelines that cover fumigation procedures in any situation. These guidelines include dosage rate needed for the job, the size of the structure to be tented, and the active properties of the fumigants. Having a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) on hand at all times is a general safety procedure as well.

Occupant Safety

• All persons, pets and plants must be removed from the property before the fumigation is performed. There are noxious gases released when fumigation chemicals are released into a sealed structure that are lethal if exposure times are long enough. All medicines and foodstuffs that are not sealed in glass or metal containers must also be removed or sealed in air-tight bags. Additionally, the termite tenting contractor must obtain a signed fumigation notice to indicate that the occupants, or the party responsible for the property, is aware of the pending fumigation.

Emergency Response Safety Procedures

• San Diego County, California provides emergency procedures for termite tenting incidents in their Operational Area Emergency Plan. Their Emergency Operations Manual information on tactical procedures states that emergency responders are required to wear “full turnout” gear of the type used by firefighters (jacket and pants made of triple-layer material, protective boots and gloves) and an SCBA. Exposure time within a fumigated structure is not to exceed two minutes, and responders are required to take a warm shower with soap and water for a minimum of 15 minutes once turnout gear has been removed.