A fumigation is the most dangerous job most pest control companies do. The gas that kills drywood termites in a house or insects in a load of grain will kill a person who walks in too soon, so every fumigation runs on paperwork: a written plan before the tarp goes up, certified people on site, warning placards on every way in, readings that prove the gas stayed where it belonged, and a clearance reading before anyone goes back inside. This fumigation checklist walks one job in that order, for a building, a chamber or silo, a shipping container or a ship hold. It records what was done and what the instruments read; it never tells anyone how much fumigant to use. Fill it in here and download a PDF without an account, or speak while you walk, and the document writes itself.
Structural or commodity: one form, two jobs
The first question asks what kind of fumigation this is. A structural job means a house or building, tarped or taped and sealed, usually for drywood termites, bed bugs or wood-boring beetles, with occupants, pets and neighbors to think about. A commodity job means grain, nuts, wood packaging or other goods in a chamber, silo, warehouse, container or ship hold, often for export or quarantine. The checks that only make sense for one kind of job stay hidden for the other, so a container fumigation is never marked down for a missing tarp.
The label and the plan decide the numbers
Fumigants are restricted use pesticides, and the label is a legal document. Labels for the fumigants in common use call for a written fumigation management plan before the job starts, covering the site, the people, the sealing, the monitoring and what to do in an emergency. The amount released, the exposure time and the reading that allows re-entry all come from the label and that plan.
That is why this form asks you to copy those figures from the plan rather than offering any of its own. It records the product name, EPA Reg. No., active ingredient and the amount released so the record matches the plan, and it asks whether the plan, the label and the safety data sheet were on site.
Placards, guarding and readings
Most fumigation injuries happen to someone who did not know the space was under gas: a returning occupant, a neighbor, a worker opening a container door. The form checks that a placard is on every entrance and shows what the label asks for, that doors are locked with a lock only the fumigator can open, and that someone is watching the site where that is required.
Readings are logged one at a time: when, where, why it was taken, the number in parts per million, and whether it was within the label limit for that spot. A reading above the limit outside the treated space, at a neighbor's wall or in a worker's breathing zone, is recorded as a safety finding along with what was done about it.
Clearance and the re-entry statement
After aeration, the space is cleared with an instrument that can read down to the label's re-entry level, in the places people will breathe. Only then do the placards come down and the occupants or owner get a re-entry notice. The form records the clearance reading, the instrument, the time, who cleared it and the statement left with the customer, so anyone checking later can see exactly when the space was declared safe and on what evidence.
Notifications and records
Some states want notice before a structural fumigation, some localities want the fire department told, and export loads may need a certificate for the receiving country. Rules differ by state and change, so the form records who was notified and when, and leaves the requirement itself to your state lead agency and federal rules. At the end it checks that the application record, the plan, the monitoring log and the clearance are filed together for as long as your state requires.
Common questions
Does this checklist tell me how much fumigant to use?
No, and it never will. The amount, the exposure time and the re-entry level come from the product label and your fumigation management plan. The form records the figures you used, copied from the plan, so the record and the plan agree.
Who can do a fumigation?
Fumigants are restricted use pesticides, so the work is done by, or under the direct supervision of, an applicator certified in the fumigation category your state requires. Some labels also require a second trained person on site at certain stages. The form lists each applicator with their certification so the record shows who was there.
Who has to be notified before a fumigation?
It depends on the state, the locality and the job. Occupants always need to be told and out before release. Some states require notice to the state lead agency, some cities to the fire department, and vessel or export jobs bring port and shipping requirements. Check with your state lead agency and federal rules before the job.
What counts as a clearance reading?
A reading taken after aeration with an instrument able to detect the fumigant at the label's re-entry level, in the breathing zone of the places people will use. The form records each reading, the instrument and who took it. Placards come down only after clearance.
Can I use it for container and ship fumigations?
Yes. Choose the commodity, container or vessel type at the start and the form asks for the commodity, the container or hold numbers and the destination instead of the tarp and occupant checks. Shipping fumigated units has its own warning-mark and paperwork rules, which the form reminds you to check.