The tragic death of a 21-day-old infant, who inhaled fumes from a powerful pesticide used by a neighbour, can be attributed to two common mistakes: failure to read safety precautions before using the product, which can affect personal health, the health of others and the environment and, more importantly, using poisonous chemicals without the guidance of pest control operators who are licenced to carry out the task and are aware of alternative methods.
If you use pesticides inside your home then you are responsible for their proper use. This includes being acquainted with safe handling of the product, application techniques, the safeguards detailed on the label and how to dispose of the pesticides sensibly.
Local authorities in the UAE have conducted several awareness campaigns that highlight the use of deadly pesticides often obtained by unauthorised means and manufactured by unlicensed companies. Failure to adhere to simple but crucial instructions can be disastrous and sometimes even fatal, as this tragedy shows. The onus should be on landlords to carry out pest control in buildings rather than leaving it to tenants. This involves due diligence — giving prior notice to all occupants before the procedures are carried out in homes by qualified professionals, thereby ensuring that all risks are covered.
The terrible sequence of events that led to the loss of a child could easily have been avoided with more awareness and responsibility.
