Association

14 September 2026

New BPCA online course helps technicians tackle Environmental Risk Assessments

TRAINING AND CPD

BPCA has launched a new online course to give pest professionals practical guidance on completing Environmental Risk Assessments (ERAs) when considering professional-grade rodenticides.

ERARiskassessments1

Creating Pest Management Environmental Risk Assessments (ERAs) guides technicians step by step through the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use UK (CRRU-UK) ERA process.

Environmental Risk Assessments form an important part of responsible rodenticide use, helping technicians identify potential risks to wildlife and the wider environment before deciding whether treatment is justified.

The new two-hour online course covers what information technicians need to collect, how to assess risks, and what supporting evidence to record.

It also explores the precautions technicians can put in place to reduce risks to non-target species and how to apply CRRU guidance when deciding whether to use rodenticide.

Karen Dawes, BPCA Training and Development Manager, said:

“An Environmental Risk Assessment shouldn’t simply be another piece of paperwork to complete before putting rodenticide down.

“It should help you think through what’s happening on the site, what the risks are and whether rodenticide is actually the right option.

“We’ve designed this course to make that process clearer and give technicians more confidence in recording the evidence behind the decisions they make.”

Practical learning for pest technicians

The foundation-level course has no prerequisites and suits both technicians who regularly complete ERAs and those seeking a clearer understanding of the process.

Through a range of practical situations, learners will explore how to identify relevant risks, select appropriate risk-reduction measures, and make informed, defensible decisions about professional-grade rodenticide use.

The course takes around two hours to complete and is worth two BPCA Registered CPD points.

There is no formal assessment. Once the course is complete, learners can print a BPCA certificate of completion online.

Find out more and take the Creating Pest Management Environmental Risk Assessments online learning course here.

Source:

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