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EVP NOTES
One of the most effective ways that trade associations communicate their message to elected officials is when their members converge on Sacramento. Members make appointments with their legislators and, from my observation, these elected officials are quite impressed that small business owners and pest control professionals have taken the time to come to Sacramento. This has been the case with our Leg Day. In March 2014 we are doing something new and exciting. We are combining our March Board of Directors Meeting and our Leg Day. The advantages of doing this are obvious: first, it will greatly enhance our numbers at Leg Day. At a time when the pest control industry is under attack in the legislature, it makes sense to maximize our presence and to do the best we possibly can in getting the word out concerning our industry issues. The best way to do this is in large numbers! Over the last couple of years our leg day attendance has been declining. It is imperative that we field a large presence in the halls of the capital in order to protect the pest control industry in California. Secondly, we will be maximizing all our resources and spending less money on hotels and airfare since we will be combining events. There will still only be the two days required for Directors to attend our board meeting. Next year, there will be the added benefit of using all our Directors presence at Leg Day as well. This is tremendously important and critical to our mission. I hope to see you all there! Since this is a new concept, I have outlined the tentative schedule below, so that you can plan accordingly. All meetings will be at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento. Monday March 24, 2014 TBD PAPCO Golf Tournament 2 p.m. Executive Committee Meeting Tuesday March 25, 2014 9 a.m. Committee Meetings 1 p.m. Board of Directors Meeting 5.30 p.m. Legislative Reception [All legislators invited] Wednesday March 26, 2014 8 a.m. Leg Day Program Begins 1.30 p.m. Leg Day concludes
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
The 2013-2014 Legislative Session of the California Legislature is in progress. Click here for PCOC's Legislative Agenda. 
IN THE NEWS
CONCERNS FROM A MEMBER Every once in a while, I receive an email or message from a member voicing concerns about what they perceive as issues with PCOC. I recently received an email from a member, whom I shall not name, concerning some advertising. Because PCOC represents the pest control industry in California, he felt that the advertising done on our website and in the magazine was dominated by one or two firms. This member felt that the organization was selling out to the highest bidder rather than representing all members. I'm sharing my response to this email because often one person may voice what others may be thinking. I wanted to thank you for emailing me. We always like to clear up any misunderstandings. I can understand the concerns you have, but I would like to take a few minutes to hopefully dispel any issues you have. 1) Advertising space is open to all. Anyone can advertise on our website or in the magazines. We have a separate firm that is not related to the pest control industry that handles advertising and advertising placement. 2) No matter how much a company advertises in our publications, they get no special treatment or favoritism. Our main function at PCOC is legislative and regulatory advocacy. We focus on upcoming legislative and regulatory bills and support the ones that are good for the industry and oppose those that are harmful. We have created relationships with legislators down at the Capitol, and we even get involved with helping to direct some policies like with the upcoming second generation anti-coagulant rodenticide issues. Representatives of PCOC have been working directly with the Department of Pesticide Regulation to steer the upcoming guidelines. 3) PCOC is mainly made up of volunteer members that act on our board of directors. They are pest control company owners, employees, and even a few retirees. They all vote on upcoming issues and come from a wide range of small, medium and large pest control companies throughout California. They are the ones that vote on policy. With more than100 directors, no one company can buy the representation of PCOC. That is not how the association is structured. 4) PCOC is a non-profit organization. We have only four paid staff members, and their salaries are not dictated by how much money is made. 5) I, as director of membership, am currently working to add new benefits for members that will help companies save money on services they use in the industry like uniforms, credit card processing, equipment leasing, fleet pricing and management, prepaid legal services, and many others. I am looking to add many new ones. We, as an association, have a lot of buying power, and I am trying to use that buying power to negotiate discount pricing and better services for our members. Those are just some of the things PCOC is working to do for the pest control industry in California. I hope this helps to alleviate some the concerns you have.
PCOC MEMBERS' VALUE PROGRAM ADDITION As many of you know, PCOC has been looking to add new benefits for its members. We have recently added a new credit card processing program, Electronic Payments. Electronic Payments was founded by Michael Nardy, a third generation pest control technician whose father owns Nardy Pest Control on the East Coast. Michael's early experience as a pest control technician and animal trapper has come to influence Electronic Payments technologies, including its mobile solution that processes sales and refunds straight from any mobile device. They have all the service offerings and program features you require in a payment processing system, including:
Our representative, Gil Dowling, is even paying $300 toward any early cancellation fees from your current credit card processing provider and will pay $100 toward your PCOC membership when you sign up for their service. Contact Gil Dowling, your dedicated Relationship Manager, at (804) 916-0412 or visit www.epinocal.com to learn more about the program.
ACE CERTIFICATION CLASSES The ACE (Associate Certified Entomologist) program is designed to benefit the practicing pest control professional. You do not need an advanced degree to participate, just a solid grasp of the practical aspects of applied entomology and seven years in the industry. The ACE examination consists of 150 multiple choice and true false questions specifically geared towards structural pest management. ACE PREP COURSE AND EXAM Target Specialty Products, Santa Fe Springs $250 includes continental breakfast and lunch on day of class Class 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. Oct 30 Test 9 a.m. -12 p.m. Nov 2 To register, call Target Specialty Products, Yalitza Vargas at 562-802-2238 Instructor: Laurie Jo Jensen (laurie@bugwizzards.com) Note: ESA Exam requires separate application and $150 fee to Entomological Society of America Go to entocert.org for appliation for exam. ACE PREP COURSE AND EXAM Univar USA, City of Commerce Class 8 a.m. -5 p.m. Nov 12 Test 9 a.m. -12 p.m. Nov 19 To register, call Laurie Jo Jensen, BCE at 949-412-8773 or email laurie@bugwizzards.com Note: ESA Exam requires separate application and $150 fee to Entomological Society of America Go to entocert.org for application for exam. We have also added In and Out Traffic School (online) (877) 526-1280 Have you or one of your employees gotten a ticket or accident and need to keep the point off of your record and don't want to sit through a whole day of boring traffic school. Take it online. Go to the following web address and get a $10 discount as PCOC member: Click here
UPCOMING EVENTS
2013
Dec. 6-7
Board of Directors Meeting
Holiday Inn Golden Gateway Hotel
San Francisco 2014 Jan 8
Pest Ed-South 2014 Quiet Cannon
Montebello, Calif.
Jan 9 Pest Ed-North 2014
Red Lion Woodlake Hotel
Sacramento Mar 25-26 Board of Directors Meeting/Leg Day
Sheraton Grand Sacramento
Sacramento
June 19-21 PCOC Expo 2014
Harrahs Las Vegas Casino & Hotel
Las Vegas
Sept 26-27 Board of Directors Meeting
Doubletree by Hilton Sonoma
Rohnert Park, Calif.
Dec 12-13 Board of Directors Meeting
Hilton Palm Springs
Palm Springs, Calif.
Comings and Goings
Welcome to a new section of Newsbriefs! Here, we will give news from our members: new hires, retirements, etc. If you have some news you would like to share, please send a short sentence or two to jenai@pcoc.org. MEMBER NEWS
MEMBER VALUE PROGRAM
PCOC MONTHLY INSURANCE/SAFETY TIP
Occupational hearing loss is the most common work-related illness in the United States, costing U.S. employers an estimated $242 million annually on workers' compensation disability costs alone.
Facts and Statistics - 22 million workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise each year. - In 2007, approximately 23,000 cases were reported of occupational hearing loss that was great enough to cause hearing impairment. - Hearing loss accounted for 14 percent of reported occupational illness in 2007. Source: NIOSH Most occupational hearing loss results from exposure to excessive noise. Noise-induced hearing loss occurs when structures or nerve fibers in the inner ear that respond to sound become damaged from exposure to excessively loud sounds. Neither surgery nor a hearing aid can help correct this type of hearing loss. Short-term exposure to loud noise can also cause a temporary change in hearing (your ears may feel stuffed up) or a ringing in your ears (tinnitus). These short-term problems may go away within a few minutes or hours after leaving the noisy area. However, repeated exposures to loud noise can lead to permanent tinnitus and/or hearing loss. Prevention
OSHA legally limits the amount of noise a worker can be exposed to (the permissible exposure limit, or PEL) at 90 decibels (dBA) for an eight-hour day. These limits are based on a worker's time-weighted average over an 8-hour day. The OSHA standard uses a 5 dBA exchange rate. This means that when the noise level is increased by 5 dBA, the amount of time a person can be exposed to a certain noise level to receive the same dose is cut in half. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has found that significant noise-induced hearing loss still occurs at the OSHA PEL, so it recommends a lower limit of 85 dBA for eight hours. It also recommends a 3 dBA exchange rate, so every increase by 3 dBA doubles the amount of the noise and halves the recommended amount of exposure time. Employers can use three types of controls to reduce employee exposure to potentially damaging noise levels: engineering controls, administrative controls and hearing protection devices. Engineering controls involve modifying or replacing equipment, or making physical changes at the noise's source or transmission path to reduce noise levels at the worker's ear. Examples of inexpensive, effective engineering controls include: - Choosing low-noise tools and machinery. - Maintaining and lubricating machinery and equipment. - Placing a sound barrier between the noise source and employees. - Enclosing or isolating the noise source. Administrative controls reduce or eliminate the worker's exposure to noise by modifying the workplace. Examples include: - Operating noisy machines during shifts when fewer people are exposed. - Limiting the amount of time a person spends at a noise source. - Providing quiet areas where workers can gain relief from hazardous noise sources (e.g., construct a sound-proof room). - Restricting worker presence to a suitable distance away from noisy equipment. In open space, every doubling of the distance between the source of noise and the worker decreases noise by 6 dBA. Hearing protection devices (HPDs), such as earmuffs and plugs, offer a less satisfactory but sometimes necessary option. Industrial hygienists recommend their use temporarily, when implementing engineering or administrative controls, when such controls are not feasible, or when workers' hearing tests indicate significant hearing damage. Taking measures to evaluate noise levels and prevent or limit worker exposure can save money and prevent much suffering. For more information, please contact the PCOC Insurance Program department of Jenkins Leavitt Insurance Services at (877) 860-7378 or, email us @ ProPest@Leavitt.com. NEW MEMBERS
FREQUENTLY REQUESTED INFORMATION
NPMA LOGIN FOR JOINT MEMBERSHIP LOGIN: 313501 PASSWORD: PCOC PCOC website password for 2013-2014 effective July 1, 2013: "beacon"
Department of Fish & Game Department of Food & Agriculture Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR)
www.cdpr.ca.gov DPR on Facebook: www.facebook.com/capesticideregulation DPR on YouTube (see "playlists" for videos pertaining to new surface water regulations): www.youtube.com/user/californiapesticides DPR on Twitter: twitter.com/ca_pesticides DPR LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/california-department-of-pesticide-regulation Healthy Schools Act http://apps.cdpr.ca.gov/schoolipm/ Structural Pest Control Board www.pestboard.ca.gov Find Your Legislator |
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