PCO Registration process well underway

The process of applying for Pest Control Operator (PCO) certification is well under way in the timber treatment industry, with help from the South African Wood Preservers Association (SAWPA).

Dolphin Bay Brief previously explained the urgent need for treaters to gain PCO certificates from the Department of Agriculture. Many of our customers responded very positively, and we helped them in various ways.

SAWPA has played a very active role: Executive Director Bruce Breedt has had positive discussions with department officials and the registrar, and SAWPA has reviewed many applications before sending them on to the department.

“The need for PCO certification is a good thing, as it ensures the industry is well-aligned and compliant,” said Bertus. “There is no way around it; we need these certifications. Some within the industry don’t want to do it, but it’s unavoidable.

“Many timber treaters are on track with the application process, but we haven’t seen one approval yet.”

Bruce told the Dolphin Bay Brief in early February that 49% of SAWPA’S members had submitted their applications. SAWPA was also helping non-members to apply.

Some Dolphin Bay customers have reported delays in their application process as they have not received, or even applied for, the prerequisite Letter of Authority (LOA) from the National Regulator for Compulsory Standards. This letter authorises companies to supply, import, or sell specific products within South Africa. For timber treaters, it confirms that their plant is in good working order.

Said Bruce: “A small number of plants that started in the past couple of years approached us for assistance with obtaining their LOAs, and they have successfully applied for and received the documents. It seems that the biggest hold-up so far is that some plants, although they applied in 2015 or 2016, never collected the original LOA and they had to urgently request reprints.
 

“Unfortunately, the department cannot give any indication of when the PCOs will be granted. Given the backlog, there is nothing we can do but be patient.”
 

“Those who asked us for assistance have mostly received their reprints.”

Another hold-up has been plants not following SAWPA’s detailed advice on how to complete and submit their PCO applications. The corrections took extra time and effort.

“Unfortunately, the department cannot give any indication regarding when the PCOs will be granted and given the backlog, there is nothing we can do but be patient and allow the department to work through the high number of applications,” said Bruce.

“The best we can do is to try to ensure that SAWPA members’ applications are complete and correct, which should prevent applications being rejected.”

SAWPA “strongly advises” all plants who have not applied or have not organised their supporting documents, to do so as soon as possible and to make their submissions through SAWPA.

“In this way, we ensure proof of submission.  Once submitted, you have done all you can to comply, and the processing and issuing of the PCO registrations is in the hands of the department.

Source: Dolphin Bay