Hiring an exterminator? Make sure he’s licensed!

Looking to get rid of insects, rodents, or other unwanted pests? If you are hiring an exterminator, check online to make sure he’s licensed.

With warm weather sometimes comes creepy crawlies.  If you’re looking to get rid of some unwanted visitors by poisoning them, you may not want to just call the first person whose ad you see posted nearby or in the local paper.  Exterminators wield highly poisonous materials, and it makes sense to ensure that the exterminator is licensed and his materials conform to health standards.

The Israel Ministry of Environmental Protection (המשרד להגנת הסביבה) is urging those looking for an exterminator (מדביר / madbir) to take a few steps prior to and after hiring one.

Find a licensed exterminator
The ministry maintains a database of licensed exterminators.  The database lists the following information for each licensed exterminator:

1. name
2. the kind of extermination for which they are licensed (i.e., not all exterminators are licensed to do every kind of extermination)
3. license number
4. license expiration date
5. address of the exterminator

The database can be accessed here.  (Note that the site worked well in Firefox, had mixed results in Internet Explorer, and did not work in Chrome for me.)

The exterminator himself should also carry a permit which contains all of the information above as well as a picture and the individual’s identification number (תעודת זהות / teudat zehut) and looks like this:

The ministry also notes that exterminators may have workers that exterminate on their behalf but are not licensed themselves.  In this case, you should be able to make sure that the worker really does work for the exterminator.

Request a work summary
After the extermination has taken place, if not automatically provided by the exterminator, you should request a work summary of his extermination (יומן ביצוע פועלת הדברה / yoman bitzua peulat hadbara).  This summary should include the following:

1. Name of the licensed exterminator and his license number
2. Name of the product used
3. Type and concentration of the active ingredient
4. Type of pest at which the extermination was aimed
5. Name of the person who carried out the extermination and his signature

Receiving this information is important for two reasons.  First and foremost, in case there is any chance that someone is later affected by the poison used in the home, you will be prepared with helpful information.  Secondarily, if you need extermination services in the future, it is useful to know what was used in the past.

Wishing you a pest-free summer!