Connecticut Administrative Code › Title 19 - Public Health and Safety › 13-B › Chapter II - ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH › Control of Fumigation › Section 19-13-B99 - Control of fumigation

Current through July 10, 2024
(a) No person, firm
				  or corporation, or the agent, employee or servant thereof, shall use or cause
				  to be used, any substance for the purpose of fumigating any building, vessel,
				  special room, vault, tank or enclosed space in the state of Connecticut without
				  compliance with this section. This section shall not apply to fumigation of
				  greenhouses or mushroom houses, horticultural or farm fumigation or the control
				  of burrowing animals outside of buildings. Substances commonly known as
				  insecticides and disinfectants, which are essentially destructive in the solid
				  or liquid phase, are excluded from this section. A person, firm or corporation
				  or the agent, employee or servant conducting fumigation is hereafter designated
				  as a fumigator.
(b) A fumigator
				  shall be licensed by the state department of environmental protection and shall
				  be qualified by special training and experience to conduct fumigations in such
				  manner as to be effective and to protect life and property. He shall be able to
				  read and understand regulations governing fumigation operations, shall know the
				  basic facts concerning the fumigant he is using, shall have general knowledge
				  of all fumigants commonly used as pest control and shall know the hazards
				  involved and the safety precautions and first aid measures necessary to
				  safeguard human life. He shall have proper equipment to carry out fumigations
				  and necessary safety precautions.
(c) No person shall conduct fumigation in any
				  town, city or borough without a local permit or license if such permit or
				  license is required by local ordinance, or otherwise without registration of
				  his qualifications with the local director of health of the town, city or
				  borough and submission of information as to qualifications. No person found by
				  the local director of health to be unqualified for the purpose of conducting
				  fumigation shall conduct any fumigation.
(d) Written notice of fumigation shall be
				  served upon the owner of the building to be fumigated or his authorized agent
				  and written or verbal notice shall be served upon all occupants of the
				  building. Written notice shall also be served upon the local director of health
				  and officials in charge of the local fire and police departments. All
				  notifications shall be served at least twenty-four hours in advance of
				  fumigation unless this required time is reduced by direction of the local
				  director of health. If there is no organized local fire or police department,
				  notification shall be made upon the first selectman of the town or the warden
				  of the borough, as the case may be.
(e) The fumigator shall take steps to effect
				  removal, from the premises to be fumigated or adjacent buildings which may be
				  affected by fumigation, of all food, drink or drugs which may absorb any
				  poisonous substances used in the process of fumigation.
(f) If any part of a building, other than a
				  special room or vault especially designed for this purpose and having proper
				  ventilation, is to be fumigated, the entire building shall be vacated during
				  the fumigation and ventilation periods. All persons occupying or living in
				  premises to be fumigated shall vacate such premises upon request of the
				  fumigator. If anyone fails to comply with such a request, the director of
				  health may declare the premises unfit for human habitation and may issue
				  necessary orders for vacation of the premises, if in his opinion fumigation is
				  necessary to eliminate insanitary conditions.
(g) If inspection shows the possibility of
				  gas gaining entrance to separate adjacent buildings, the fumigator shall warn
				  in advance the occupants of such separate adjacent buildings and take any steps
				  necessary to safeguard the lives and health of all persons occupying such
				  buildings.
(h) All crevices, cracks
				  or openings in the building or portion thereof to be fumigated, except the
				  exit, shall be effectively sealed before fumigation material is distributed.
				  All workers shall be accounted for before the final exit is closed and
				  sealed.
(i) Warning signs, printed
				  in red with headline letters at least two inches in height, shall be placed at
				  all exits of the premises and kept there during fumigation and ventilation.
				  They shall comply with the pertinent United States Department of Labor
				  Occupational Safety and Health Standards.
(j) During periods of fumigation and
				  ventilation the fumigator shall employ locks or barricades to prevent
				  unauthorized entrance and shall provide for one or more watchmen who shall
				  remain on duty until such time as the premises have been delcared by the
				  fumigator to be safe for human occupancy.
(k) Persons conducting fumigation shall wear
				  masks of a suitable type while in the enclosed space during and after
				  liberation of gas and until the space after ventilation is delcared safe by the
				  fumigator. The fumigator shall provide an extra canister for the mask at each
				  fumigating job and shall keep an accurate record of the length of time during
				  which the gas canister has been used in order that it may be replaced as
				  required. In handling sulphuric acid, cyanide or other material likely to be
				  injurious, rubber gloves shall be used. Employees of the fumigator shall comply
				  with pertinent United States Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health
				  Standards.
(l) A minimum of twelve
				  hours shall be required for ventilation, except for rooms, vaults and chambers
				  equipped with a special exhaust system. During ventilation (1) all windows,
				  doors and other means of ventilation shall be kept open; (2) all drawers,
				  closets and similar enclosures shall be kept open; (3) all mattresses and
				  bedding shall be taken from beds and thoroughly aired; (4) the temperature of
				  living quarters shall be elevated to a minimum of 60°F.
(m) Prior to allowing any other persons to
				  enter, the fumigator shall, at the conclusion of ventilation of the premises,
				  inspect and make appropriate tests of the interior of the building and certify
				  that it is safe for persons to enter without special protection.
(n) Proper arrangements shall be made and
				  carried out for the disposal of residue fumigation material.
(o) Special rooms, tanks, vaults or other
				  enclosed spaces in which articles are fumigated shall meet with the approval of
				  the local director of health in regard to the construction and location of
				  premises.