Equipment for vector control specification guidelines -- Second edition

Overview

This document provides the specifications for major pesticide application equipment used for control of vectors of diseases. The specification guidelines contained herein are intended to assist national authorities and other public health users in selecting equipment of assured quality for application of pesticides for vector control.

This second edition of the specification guidelines follows a similar format to that of the revised edition published in 2010, in which general requirements are presented in addition to the specific requirements for individual types of equipment. The current guidelines supersede the specifications previously published by WHO for such equipment. This second edition also includes specifications of equipment for application of larvicides as well as those for some additional equipment for adulticides.

The test methods described herein are intended to assess whether the equipment will function for a minimum of three years with appropriate routine maintenance according to the manufacturer’s label instructions. Manufacturers shall be requested to provide warranty against manufacturing defects with guaranteed after-sales service on the equipment, any certification required by national authorities regarding materials used in the construction of the equipment, and results of tests that have been carried out for compliance with national or international specifications.

The World Health Organization (WHO) no longer tests equipment used to apply pesticides for compliance with WHO specifications. If a national programme or other agency wishes for a specific item of equipment to be evaluated, it will be its responsibility to arrange a test with a WHO collaborating institution equipped to evaluate pesticide application equipment. Similarly, a manufacturer can arrange for their equipment to be tested at a recognized laboratory, approved by WHO.