BPCA is aware that many members have begun to offer disinfection services for Covid-19, and we recommend you proceed with extreme caution.

Before offering these services, you should:

• Check that the technicians carrying out these treatments are fully trained to do so
• Check your insurance covers you to offer this service
• Use disinfectants in accordance with the label instructions
• Have your contract/terms and conditions checked with a legal advisor
• Read the advice on the Government and British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) websites (link below).

The BPCA Technical team are not able to give specific advice on disinfection services for Covid-19 as this is out of our area of expertise. Disinfecting following a pest infestation and for a virus have important differences.

We strongly recommend speaking to your disinfectant supplier before you offer this service.

As BPCA is unable to verify members’ ability to carry out Covid-19 disinfection services, we have taken the decision to not add this as an option on the Find a pest controller tool.

On a national level, BPCA has suggested that with the right direction and a meaningful national strategy, pest professionals have the knowledge, training and available workforce to support hygiene maintenance and disinfection.

Many pest management companies have access to specialised equipment used to control pests that are also regularly used in the application of disinfectants.

If called on, we could support the Government with disinfection and hygiene maintenance during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Above all, do not try to be something you’re not. If you’re unsure about offering these services, don’t do it. Offering services and making claims that you can’t deliver on is bad for your business and the whole sector. Worse, during this pandemic, you could be seen as profiteering, which could have legal and reputational costs.

The British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc) has information on disinfection and Covid-19 that you may find useful.

bics.org.uk/bicsc-update-to-the-outbreak-of-covid-19-coronavirus/

Covid-19 cleaning in non-healthcare settings guidance is available on the Government website.

gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings