section 17

Insects, Rodents and Other Vermin, SASC-S-17

SASC-S-17

INSECTS, RODENTS AND OTHER VERMIN OF PUBLIC HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE

Any insect, rodent or other vermin that promote the transmission of human or zoonotic disease that parasitize or feed upon man, or that is venomous, allergenic or otherwise harmful or hazardous to man, are of significant public health concern. Preventing the entry, propagation and harborage of such insects, rodents and vermin is required to protect the public health. NOTE: All sub-sections should be read in conjunction with referenced documents listed at the end of this Section. DEFINITIONS: Camp, Aramco: Any of the residential compounds established by Saudi Aramco to house individuals or families. Carrier: A person or animal that harbors a specific infectious agent in the absence of discernable clinical disease and serves as a potential source of infection. Cesspool: A lined or partially lined covered underground pit into which household wastewater is discharged. Solids are collected in the pit and liquids seep through the bottom and sides into the surrounding soil. Communicable Disease: An illness due to a specific infectious agent or its toxic products which arises through transmission of that agent or its products from an infected person, animal or reservoir to susceptible host through an intermediate plant or animal host. Communicable Period: The time or times during which an infectious agent may be transferred directly or indirectly from an infected person to another person. Etiology Study: Of the causes of disease. Faeces (feces): Solid waste or excrement from the gastrointestinal tract consisting of residue from food digestion and bacterial action. Garbage: Animal and vegetable waste resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking and serving of foods Herbicide: Any compound, usually a synthetic organic chemical, used to control plant growth. Host: A person or other living animal that affords subsistence or lodgment to an infectious agent under the natural conditions. Infectious Disease: A clinically manifest disease of man or animal resulting from an infection. Infestation: For persons or animals the lodgment, development and reproduction of arthropods on the surface of the body or in the clothing. Infested articles or premises are those which harbor or give shelter to animal forms, especially arthropods and rodents. Insecticide: Any chemical substance used for the destruction of insects, whether applied as powder, liquid or aerosol. Manure: The fecal and urinary defecations of livestock and poultry.

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Open dump: The consolidation of waste from one or more sources at a central disposal site which has little or no management. Some of the problems associated with open dumps are: vector breeding, fires, unsightliness, disease and accident potential. Parasite: Organisms that obtain their food from the living substance of other organisms. Pathogen: Any infective agent capable of producing disease; may be a virus, bacterium, etc. A specific cause of a disease. Pesticide: Any chemical or substance used to control animal or plant pest problems. Rodenticide: A chemical substance used for the destruction of rodents, generally through digestion. Transmission of Infectious Agents: Any mechanism by which an infectious agent is spread from a source or reservoir to a person. Unsanitary: One or more factors in a mans physical environment that exercise a negative effect of his health, development or well being. Vector (of disease): A living insect or animal (non-human), which transmits infectious diseases from one animal or human to another. Zoonosis: A disease of animals transmissible to man. Some examples are: anthrax, bubonic plague, typhus and some forms of salmonella. 1 GENERAL

1.1 The presence of bedbugs, lice, mosquitoes, fly larvae, rodents or other vermin, or the traces, droppings, trails, runs or other evidence of the presence of such vermin, indicates or is an indicator of filth and unsanitary conditions. If observed, the problem shall be reported to the Saudi Aramco proponent and/or the Saudi Aramco Community Services Pest Control Unit. If the problem is not resolved immediately, then it shall be reported to Saudi Aramco Environmental Protection Department, (EPD) which will, in turn, notify the Saudi Aramco proponent organization and they shall take immediate action to abate the nuisance (see Section SASC-S-18).

1.2 Control of insects, rodents and other vermin shall be through the implementation of Integrated

Pest Management (IPM) methods, which seek long-term pest prevention by instituting pro-active measures that aim to prevent a pest population from reaching an unacceptable level.

1.3 IPM programs shall employ thorough inspections, routine monitoring and correct pest

identification to determine if and when control measures are called for. When applicable, preferred control methods include one or more of the following and shall be utilized before undertaking chemical control: improved sanitation, pest proofing and mechanical, cultural and biological controls. When chemicals are required, they shall be the least toxic available to resolve the problem, be target specific and be applied in a manner that will have minimal impact to Saudi Aramco personnel and the environment.

1.4 All buildings, structures and service vehicles located on Saudi Aramco plants, industrial

areas, communities, facilities and concessionary lands, or those otherwise controlled by Saudi Aramco, shall be designed, constructed, maintained and operated to prevent the entry, propagation and harborage of insects, rodents and other vermin. IPM programs shall be undertaken to insure that buildings, structures and service vehicles remain free of insects, rodents and vermin.

1.5 The premises on which the above buildings, structures and service vehicles stand, as well as

vacant lots and open areas located on Saudi Aramco plants, industrial areas, communities, facilities and concessionary lands, shall be maintained in a manner that prevents the propagation or

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harborage of insects, rodents or other vermin. IPM programs shall be undertaken to ensure that buildings, structures and service vehicles remain free of insects, rodents and vermin.

1.6 All Saudi Aramco plants, industrial areas, communities, facilities and concessionary lands, or

those otherwise controlled by Saudi Aramco, shall be well drained. Drainage shall not be allowed to pond or otherwise accumulate in an uncontrolled manner that supports the propagation or harborage of insects, rodents or vermin.

1.7 No agency, employee or person shall place, leave, dump or permit to accumulate any garbage

or refuse in any building, structure or vehicle, or on any premises, vacant lot or open area in a manner that provides food or harborage for insects, rodents or other vermin.

1.8 No agency, employee or person shall accumulate, or permit accumulation of, lumber, pipes or

other construction material on a premises or yard unless such material is stored at least 30 centimeters (12 inches) above the ground or racks.

1.9 To prevent impoundment of water, creation of mud holes and other nuisance conditions, all

spillage, overflow or drainage from a drinking fountain, faucet or other equipment or device shall be discharged to the sewerage system through an approved drain.

1.10 Every effort shall be made to prevent problems rather than solve them after they have

developed. For example, insects, rodents and vermin shall be controlled by elimination of breeding and harborage sources, proper sanitary practices, vermin proofing of structures, proper storage of materials and by other approved control methods. Desperate campaigns to rid buildings, structures and premises of established infestations are undesirable and must be avoided.

1.11 Fly electrocution devices, if used, shall be designed to have "escape- resistant" trays. They shall

be installed in a manner that prevents dead insects from falling on food and food contact surfaces. Trays shall be emptied into an outside refuse container at least once each day.

1.12 Bait stations shall be tamper-proof or covered or, if open, maintained in a manner that keeps

rodenticide within the bait station. If used inside a kitchen, bait stations shall be located in non-food handling areas and only anticoagulant rodenticides shall be used.

1.13 Exclusion is the preferred method of rodent control inside a kitchen. If this fails and rodents

must be exterminated, trapping is recommended. Tracking powders shall not be used inside a kitchen.

1.14 No cooking shall be undertaken in any room of a habitable structure unless such room was

specifically designed for this purpose and the use of such room for cooking is approved by Saudi Aramco EPD. Cooking odors and the availability of food and water attracts insects, rodents and other vermin. Unregulated "kitchens" provide ideal conditions for entry, propagation and harborage of insects, rodents and other vermin without the benefit of the specialized control programs required of regulated kitchens.

1.15 Water storage tanks shall be enclosed from the filling inlet to the discharge outlet. All openings shall

be covered. The cover shall be provided with a gasket and a mechanism for securing it in place. Vents and overflows shall terminate in a downward direction and shall be screened to prevent entry by birds and other animals.

1.16 Animals shall not be slaughtered in a place other than a Saudi Arab Government approved

slaughterhouse. Blood, offal and other animal waste attract insects, rodents and other vermin and provide them with food and ideal conditions for propagation.

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2 RESPONSIBILITY FOR INSECT, RODENT AND VERMIN CONTROL The Saudi Aramco proponent is responsible for implementing and enforcing the requirements of this Code Section. 3 STRUCTURAL PLANS FOR SCHOOLS AND FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS

3.1 Whenever a Saudi Aramco food establishment or school is to be constructed, an existing Saudi Aramco structure is converted to use as a food establishment or school, or whenever any Saudi Aramco food establishment or school is remodeled or altered, properly prepared plans and specifications for such construction, conversion, remodeling or alteration shall be submitted to Saudi Aramco EPD during the design review process.

3.2 Whenever physical facilities or fixed equipment of an approved non-Saudi Aramco food

establishment are to be remodeled, altered or changed, a "new application," including plans and specifications, shall be submitted to Saudi Aramco EPD according to requirements outlined in Section SASC-S-04 of this Code.

4 GENERAL STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENTS

4.1 There shall be no openings in basements, foundations, exterior walls or roofs through which insects; rodents or other vermin may traverse. Openings around conduits, ducts, pipes and other utility services that pass through the walls of basements, foundations and ground and first floor exterior surfaces, as well as roofs, shall be closed solidly by metal, concrete or other impervious material through which rodents cannot gnaw. If metal sheeting is used to seal an opening around a conduit, duct, pipe or other utility service, the metal sheeting shall extend at least 7.6 centimeters beyond all sides of the opening.

4.2 Doors, windows and screening:

4.2.1 All exterior entrances to corridors, habitable rooms, kitchens, lunch rooms, shower rooms,

toilet rooms, utility rooms and hand-washing facilities shall be provided with solid doors or glazed windows. Doors and windows shall be kept tightly closed when not in use (excludes passageways between rooms within an enclosed building). If outside openings are appropriately protected from the entry by insects and rodents according to the requirements outlined in sub-sections 4.2.2 through 4.2.4 of this Code Section, solid doors and glazed windows may be considered to be "in use" if they are left open to ventilate the structure.

4.2.2 All exterior entrances to kitchens, lunch rooms, shower rooms, toilet rooms, utility rooms

and hand-washing facilities shall be fitted with self-closing screen doors (a screen door is not required if the solid door is self-closing and opens outward, the area is fully air conditioned alleviating the need for propping the solid door open and the operational nature of the facility is such that employees are required to keep doors closed, e.g. facilities within industrial plants). Screen doors shall open outwards. The bottoms of screen doors shall be covered with metal sheeting in accordance with sub-section 4.2.3 of this Code Section. Other effective fly control devices, e.g. air curtains, that start automatically when a door is opened, may be used in lieu of screen doors.

4.2.3 All outer doors and screen doors shall be tight-fitting and self-closing. All doors and screen

doors, including sliding or folding types, shall be constructed in such a manner that the space between the lower edge of the door and the threshold does not exceed 6.4 millimeters (0.25 inches). The space between sections of folding and sliding doors, when closed, shall not exceed 6.4 millimeters (0.25 inches). All exposed edges of the lower 20.3 centimeters (8 inches) of doors and jambs which are made of materials through which rodents could gnaw, especially outer doors and doors known to be accessible to rodents,

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shall be protected by covering such edges of doors and jambs with metal sheeting which cannot be gnawed through.

4.2.4 All openable windows that are not solidly closed and are accessible to insects and rodents shall be appropriately screened by grills, hardware cloth or other material capable of precluding the entry by insects and rodents. The effective mesh size of screening material shall not be less than 6 mesh per centimeter (16 mesh per inch).

4.3 Walls and ceilings:

4.3.1 Covering materials, such as Formica, sheet metal, linoleum and vinyl, shall be attached

and sealed to wall and ceiling surfaces in a manner which leaves no open spaces or cracks.

4.3.2 If acoustical paneling is used, perforations shall not penetrate the entire depth of the panel,

shall not be greater than 3 millimeters (0.13 inches) in any dimension, and shall not comprise more than 25 percent of the exposed panel surface.

4.4 All ventilation and other openings which cannot be solidly sealed non-window and that remain

accessible to insects, rodents and other vermin shall be appropriately screened by grilles, hardware cloth or other material capable of precluding the entry by insects, rodents and other vermin. Note that the swing-type louvered flaps which automatically close when an exhaust or ventilation fan is switched off are deemed to be acceptable screening if they are kept clean and in good repair.

4.5 All sewer pipes or drains through which rodents may pass shall be closed with a properly

secured, perforated metal or iron cover. Perforations shall not admit a cylinder 13 millimeters (0.5 inches) in diameter.

4.6 Defective sewer pipes, traps, drains and vents shall be repaired or replaced promptly and

professionally. Crude repairs with wood, tape or metal strips will leak and are unsatisfactory. 5 SEWAGE

5.1 Sewage shall be collected, treated and disposed of in accordance with requirements equivalent to those outlined in Section SASC-S-02 of this Code. In no case shall sewage or liquid waste of any type be discharged on the surface of the ground, open ditch or other uncontrolled area where it might pond, encourage weed growth or support the propagation or harborage of insects, rodents or other vermin.

5.2 When Saudi Aramco EPD permits the use of chemical closets in support of a transitory place of

employment, the chemical closets shall be operated and maintained in a manner which does not attract or support the propagation of insects, rodents or other vermin.

6 GARBAGE AND REFUSE

6.1 Garbage and refuse storage facilities:

6.1.1 Prior to removal from the premises, garbage and other refuse shall be stored in a manner which makes it inaccessible to insects, rodents and other vermin. Outside storage of garbage or refuse in open piles or in any container other than an approved garbage or refuse container is prohibited, e.g. storage in paper bags or cardboard boxes. Inside storage of waste in open piles on the floor of the garbage/refuse storage room is prohibited. Heavy duty plastic bags may be stacked on the floor of a properly designed and constructed refuse storage room if the waste contained therein is satisfactorily sealed in the bag, i.e. the bag does not represent an "open pile."

6.1.2 The garbage/refuse storage room, if provided, shall be large enough to store all

garbage/refuse containers, which accumulate between disposal periods. The structure

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shall be insect and rodent-proof, including the provision of a solid door designed to preclude the entry by rodents. Additionally, a screen door, which opens outward, an air curtain device or other effective means of excluding flies, shall be provided.

6.1.3 Facilities shall be provided for cleaning garbage/refuse containers, lugger boxes and

compactor systems after they are emptied (this facility need not be provided on the premises if the waste hauler provides this service at another location).

6.2 Garbage and refuse containers:

6.2.1 Approved garbage and refuse containers shall include standard 115 liters (30 gallons)

steel garbage cans, modified 210 liters (55 gallons) steel drums, purpose-built lugger boxes and compactor systems. They shall be made of a durable, nonabsorbent, easily cleanable material through which rodents cannot gnaw. Containers shall not leak. Drain plugs, where required, shall be in place at all times except during cleaning.

6.2.2 Refuse equipment and containers shall be provided with tight- fitting lids, doors or covers.

6.2.2.1 The lids, doors or covers of outside refuse equipment and containers shall be

kept in the closed position when not in immediate use.

6.2.2.2 Refuse containers, which are being actively used in the facility, need not be covered. Refuse containers shall be covered when not being actively used. Filled refuse containers shall be covered and removed from the facility to the refuse storage facility.

6.2.3 The 210 liters (55 gallons), 115 liters (30 gallons) and smaller containers shall be lined with

heavy duty plastic bags to minimize cleaning requirements and facilitate removal of refuse.

6.2.4 Refuse containers shall be provided where refuse is generated. There shall be a sufficient number of approved containers to hold all garbage/refuse produced and to accommodate the total amount accumulated in the refuse holding facility between disposal periods.

6.2.5 Periodically, each container shall be thoroughly washed with hot water and detergent on

the inside and outside in a manner that does not contaminate water, food or the environment.

6.2.6 Refuse equipment and containers shall not, by their location or installation, create a

nuisance or prevent cleaning of adjacent space.

6.3 Garbage and refuse disposal:

6.3.1 Refuse shall be disposed of often enough to prevent the development of odors and the attraction of insects, rodents and other vermin, but not less than twice per week.

6.3.2 Waste shall be removed to the disposal facility in a purpose-built refuse transport vehicle.

6.3.3 All refuse shall be disposed of in a municipal sanitary landfill. Open dumps and burn-pits

are prohibited.

6.4 Garbage and refuse disposal in remote locations:

6.4.1 Drilling rigs oftentimes operate in remote locations where municipal sanitary landfills are unavailable. Open dumping in these areas supports the breeding or flies and rodents and they directly threaten the health of rig employees. In these unique cases, the only suitable alternative method of garbage and refuse disposal is controlled incineration.

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6.4.2 If garbage and refuse must be burned at a remote location, it shall not be burned in a pit, but shall be burned in an incinerator. The incinerator can be as simple as an oil drum with both ends removed and several lengths of "rebar" forming a grate pattern approximately one foot from the bottom of the drum. The drum, grate side down, is raised approximately 25 centimeters off the ground by placing it on concrete blocks, rocks, or other nonflammable supports in a manner that steadies the drum, but does not close the bottom of the drum.

6.4.2.1 A small amount of refuse is placed in the incinerator on the rebar grate and is

ignited. The heat from the fire will rise and draw air in from the open bottom of the drum. The temperature of the fire will increase as the rising heat draws more air in from the bottom of the drum and the cycle will repeat itself as more fuel is added. The disposal cycle simply involves controlled addition of garbage and refuses to the top of the incinerator until all waste is consumed.

6.4.2.2 The ashes that fall through the grate, along with cans and bottles shall be

shoveled into a collection drum. When the collection drum is full, it shall be transported to a Saudi Aramco sanitary landfill for disposal or the contents shall be buried beneath two feet of compact soil. If burned waste is buried, the burial site shall be dry, not subject to flooding and shall not permit contamination of private or public water supplies.

6.4.2.3 The area around the incinerator shall be kept clean and orderly. The incinerator I

is a tool, not a toy, and its safe use shall be emphasized. 7 PESTICIDES

7.1 Only pesticides registered by the Saudi Arab Government and specifically designed and approved for use in the type of facility being treated shall be present in the facility. Pesticides used in food establishments should be of low toxicity for humans.

7.2 Pesticide containers shall be specifically and plainly labeled. The label shall: a) define all

constituents of the pesticide; b) explain the hazardous nature of the pesticide and precautions that must be exercised when storing, handling and using the pesticide; c) the pests the product is designed to control and under what circumstances; d) instructions for application and safe use; and e) proper disposal methods for waste pesticides and empty containers. Pesticides shall be stored in their original, labeled container.

7.3 Pesticides shall be stored in locked cabinets or rooms that are used for no other purpose. They

shall not be stored in areas where packaging, ingredients, food, equipment or utensils are stored; where food is prepared, processed, cooked, packaged, chilled, frozen or served; or where ware washing takes place. Pesticides shall not be stored in a manner, which causes contamination or adulteration of food, food contact surfaces, utensils or equipment (extreme care shall he taken to avoid such adulteration/contamination).

7.4 Pesticides shall not be used in a manner which: a) contaminates or leaves a toxic residue on

packaging, ingredients, food, equipment, utensils or other food contact surfaces; b) is hazardous to personnel; or c) is not in full compliance with the manufacturer's instructions printed on the label. Chemical treatments shall only be made when an inspection and/or monitoring have indicated that there is a pest problem and not according to a pre-determined schedule.

7.5 Pesticides hall be dispensed and handled by authorized, properly trained personnel. A

qualified pest control operator shall apply restricted-use pesticides. REFERENCES:

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1. Freedman, Ben, Sanitarians Handbook 2. Salvato, Joseph, Environmental Engineering and Sanitation

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INSECTS, RODENTS AND OTHER VERMIN1GENERAL2RESPONSIBILITY FOR INSECT, RODENT AND VERMIN CONTROL3STRUCTURAL PLANS FOR SCHOOLS AND FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS5SEWAGE6GARBAGE AND REFUSE7PESTICIDES

section 17

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