Articles
Crime & Accidents News
09 November 2021

Rustenburg – Most of us has gone to the general store for pesticide. We look for the label showing the pest we want to kill, grab it and go.

Once you get home, you scan through the mixing instructions and before you know it you are a self-proclaimed pest exterminator.


Not fully reading the safety instruction can be very dangerous and, in some cases, even deadly. In one instance earlier this year a couple from Koster used poison for cockroaches in their home. According to the husband they used a product containing Phototoxin. They eventually went to bed, but the wife never woke up and the husband was admitted to hospital.


A case was also recently reported where criminals attempted to poison dogs. The owner managed to get to the poison before her beloved pets and even used gloves to pick it up and dispose of it. She still managed to be exposed resulting in her being hospitalised.


It is extremely important that you read the warning label of any poison carefully before you proceed and that you follow it step for step. Not all poisons are the same and the safety precautions that are sufficient for the one might not be for the other. When dealing with two-step (being used to kill dogs), pick it up with a tool and bury it.


Important rules to follow when using poison in and around the house:

  • Always read the label before using the product.
  • Make sure you have the correct poison for the correct problem.
  • If you have pets, make sure that the product is pet friendly if you want to use it in an area where your pets often roam. 
  • Don’t use tick treatment for farm animals on house animals.
  • Don’t use outdoor poisons inside your home unless the label states that it is safe to do so.
  • Keep chemical products in their original bottles or containers. Do not use food containers such as cups, bottles, or jars to store these products.
  • Follow all the directions step by step as indicated.
  • Never mix products together.
  • Keep it out of reach of children or animals.
  • Wear protective clothing like gloves, long sleeves, long pants, socks, shoes when working with these products.
  • If you are using a poison inside, make sure that the area is well ventilated even if you are just using common household products.
  • If the room needed to stay closed for a while so that the poison can be effective. Do not enter the room before the recommended time has passed and make sure that there was enough ventilation circulated before you stay in the area for a prolonged time.

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