Gulf Construction Online - Masa helps industry pick up the pace

Industrial Construction

Masa pest control experts ... well experienced.

Masa helps industry pick up the pace

Naimul Hasan, entomologist, R & D at Masa Establishment for Pest Extermination Maintenance and Contracting, details what steps must be taken to ensure that industrial facilities remain free of pest infestation.

01 January 2009

WITH the rapid pace of industrialisation and the increase in competition in the market, quality, health and hygiene issues, and timely delivery of products are crucial to the success of industrial ventures.

Given the diversity of manufacturing industries in the region, ranging from sugar and textile factories to gas processing facilities, comprehensive pest control services are required to handle various pest infestation problems.
Masa Establishment for Pest Extermination Services, a pioneer in pest control and management in Saudi Arabia, has tackled problems related to all types of pests varying from household pests to those that pose a public health hazard. The company has an in-depth knowledge of the way insects live as well as the safety measures in controlling insect pests, having successfully treated and saved thousands of factories, dwellings, buildings, museums, antiques, wooden frames and other similar materials made of wood. Its treatment methods are based on 28 years of dedicated service to the public and environment.
The control of termites is a major portion of pest control work over a large part of the Saudi Arabia and most of the termite damage is caused by subterranean types. The most distinctive feature of subterranean termite damage is the presence of a brown mud-like material that lines the colonies in an irregular pattern. An inspector must thoroughly examine all of the underground areas of a facility including the basement and crawl space walls, supporting piers and beams, sill plates, floor joists, and sub floors. Particular attention must be paid to all areas where concrete steps, porches, or concrete slabs join with the structure.
The major objective of the specialist in subterranean termite control is to establish a chemical barrier between the termite nest, usually in the ground, and the wood in a structure. In buildings that are under construction, this is accomplished by keeping wood out of contact with the ground and by pre-treating the soil below the foundation with insecticide to establish a chemical barrier.
A complete termite control treatment may involve any or all of the following basic steps:
• Mechanical alteration;
• Soil treating;
• Foundation treating;
• Wood treating.
Mechanical alteration involves modifying the structure so as to provide a barrier that cannot be penetrated by termites or to eliminate conditions that are conducive to termite invasion. Use of concrete or metal barriers, removal of cellulose debris, elimination of moisture near or in the structure, establishment of moisture near or in the structure, establishment of sufficient ventilation of the infested area, and eliminating wood-to-soil contact are all examples of effective methods of mechanical treatment.
Soil treating consists of the application of termiticide to the soil under and adjacent to a building, to create an impervious chemical barrier. A continuous barrier should be established along the inside and outside of the foundation, under slabs and around utility entrances.
Foundation treating is the application of termiticide to a foundation to make it impervious to termites. The objective is to place termiticide in all cracks at the footings as well as through cracks in the foundation outside. Treating the inside of hollow concrete block walls is another example of foundation treating. With each of these types of construction, there will be structural features that require attention to establish a physical or chemical barrier that prevents termite entry into a building.
Wood treating is the application of insecticides directly to wood to eliminate existing termite infestations or to make the wood impervious or resistant to termites. Pressure-treated wood is frequently used in the construction of buildings and provides effective termite control if it is used for all wood construction at least to the ceiling level of the first floor. Spraying insecticides on wood already in place provides only surface protection and doesn't penetrate to the centre of the wood where it is most needed. In badly damaged wood, insecticide can be injected into the cavities made by termites.
The design of a structure does not alter the basic principle of subterranean termite control: creating a barrier that will prevent termites living outside the structure from entering and using a building for food. It is encouraging to see that treating buildings while under construction – both for slab on ground and basement construction – has become a standard procedure in many parts of the kingdom.
The toxicant must be applied with such thoroughness and uniformity that it provides a barrier to all routes of termite entry. Pre-treatment should be carried out only when favourable conditions prevail. Wet soil should not be treated because there is likely to be considerable surface flow of the termiticide from the site of application. If the treated areas will not be covered immediately, precautions must be taken to prevent contact or disturbance of the treatment by people or animals.
To ensure the success of its treatment procedures, Masa has recently started using Josh 30.5 per cent termiticide, which has Imidacloprid 30.5 per cent SC as the active ingredient. Imidacloprid has been used in the US for termite control job for the last 25 years. It is odourless, undetectable by termites, and colourless when mixed with water.