ANTI-TERMITE PRECONSTRUCTION CHEMICAL TREATMENT IN BUILDINGS

1. GENERAL
1.1 Contractor shall furnish all tools, plants, instruments, qualified supervisory
personnel, Labour, materials, any temporary works, consumables, any and
everything necessary whether or not such items are specifically stated
herein for completion of the job in accordance with specification
requirements.
1.2 All work shall be done in the order of progress required by COMPANY's
construction programme. Contractor shall take all necessary precautions to
prevent any accident in connection with the performance of the work.
1.3 On final completion of all work, Contractor shall leave the entire premises
within the site of his operation clean and free from all rubbish resulting
from his operation.
1.4 COMPANY reserves the right to inspect, check and direct any or all
operations at any stage of the work and to require unsatisfactory work to be
remedied at Contractor's expense.
1.5 No work shall be carried out under unsuitable weather conditions viz.
when raining or when the soil is wet due to rain or sub-soil water.
1.6 Chemicals shall be brought to site of work in sealed original containers. The
materials shall be brought in, at a time, in adequate quantity to suffice for
the work. The material shall be kept in cool and locked stores. The empties
shall not be removed from the work site till the relevant item of work has
been completed and permission granted by COMPANY.
1.7 Chemicals available in concentration forms with concentration indicated on
the sealed containers only shall be used. Chemicals shall be diluted with
water in required quantity before use, using graduated containers to
achieve the desired percentage of concentration:
Examples:

Chlorpyriphos 20% EC 250ml is diluted to 5 litres to give 1.0%

emulsion

Imidacloprid 30.5% SC 10.5ml is diluted to 5 litres to give

0.075% emulsion

2. PRE-CONSTRUCTIONAL CHEMICAL TREATMENT

2.1 Essential Requirements
2.1.1 Hand operated pressure pump with graduated containers shall be used to
ensure uniform spraying of the chemical. Continuous check shall be kept to
ensure that the specified quantity of chemical is used for the required area
 during the operation. On large projects, a power sprayer may be used to
save time and labour.
4.1.2. Condition of Formation
The treated soil barrier shall be complete and continuous under the whole
of the structure to be protected. All foundations shall be fully surrounded by
and in close contact with the barrier of treated soil. Each part of the area
treated shall receive the specified dosage of chemical.
4.1.3. Time of Application
Soil treatment shall start when the foundation trenches and pits are ready
to receive mass concrete in foundations. Laying of mass concrete shall start
when the chemical emulsion has been absorbed by the soil and the surface
is quite dry. Treatment shall not be carried out when it is raining or soil is
wet with rain or sub-soil water. The foregoing also applies in the case of
treatment to the filled earth surface within the plinth before laying the
subgrade for the floor.
4.1.4. Disturbance
The treated soil barriers shall not be disturbed after they are formed. If by
chance, treated soil barriers are disturbed, immediate steps shall be taken
to restore the continuity and completeness of the barrier system.
2.2 Chemicals, Method and Rate of Application
4.2.1. Mound Treatment
Termite mounds within the plinth and contingent apron area shall be
destroyed by means of insecticides in the form of water suspension or
emulsion which shall be poured into the mounds at several places after
breaking open the earthen structure and making holes with crow bars. For a
mound volume of about one (1) cum., four (4) litres of an emulsion in water
of one of the following shall be used:
a) 1.0 % Chlorpyrifos 20 EC
b) 0.075% Imidacloprid 30.5% EC
4.2.2. Soil Treatment
Any one of the following chemicals in water emulsion shall be applied
uniformly over the area to be treated.

Chemical Concentration by Weight

Chlorpyrifos 20 EC 1%

Imidacloprid 30.50% SC 0.075%

4.2.3. Treatment of Column-pits, Wall-trenches and Basement excavations

a) The bottom surface and the sides (up to a height of about 300 mm) of the
excavations made for column pits, wall trenches and basements shall be
treated with the chemical at the rate of 5 litres per sq.m of the surface area.
b) After the column foundations and the retaining walls of the basement come up,
the backfill in immediate contact with the foundation structure shall be
treated at the rate of 7.5 litres per sq.m of the vertical surface of the sub-
structure for each side. If water is used for ramming the earth- fill, the
chemical treatment shall be carried out after the ramming operation is done
by rodding the earth at 150 mm centres close to the wall surface and
spraying the chemical with the above dose. The earth shall be returned in
layers and the treatment shall be carried out in similar stages. The chemical
emulsion shall be directed towards the concrete or masonry surfaces of the
columns and walls so that the earth in contact with these surfaces is well
treated with the chemical.
c) In the case of R.C.C. framed structures with columns and plinth beams and R.C.C.
basements, with concrete mix of grade C15 or richer, the treatment shall
start at the depth of 500 mm below ground level for columns and plinth
beams. From this depth the back-fill around the columns, beams and R.C.C
basement walls shall be treated at the rate of 7.5 litres/sq.m of vertical
surface. The other details of treatment shall be as laid down in clause (b)
above.
4.2.4. Treatment of Top Surface of Plinth Filling
The top surface of the filled earth within plinth beams/walls shall be treated
with chemical emulsion at the rate of 5 litres per sq.m of the surface before
the sand bed/subgrade is laid. Holes up to 50 to 70 mm deep at 150 mm
centres both ways shall be made with 12 mm dia. crow-bar on the surface to
facilitate saturation of the soil with chemical emulsion.
4.2.5. Treatment of Junction of Wall and Floor
To achieve continuity of vertical chemical barrier to inner wall surfaces
from the ground level, small channel 30 x 30 mm shall be made at all the
junctions of wall and columns with the floor (before laying the subgrade)
and rod holes made in the channel up to ground level 150 mm apart and the
chemical emulsion poured along the channel at the rate of 7.5 litres/sq.m of
the vertical wall or column surface so as to soak the soil right to the bottom.
The soil shall be tamped back into place after this operation.
4.2.6. Treatment of Soil Under Apron Along External Perimeter of Building
The top surface of the consolidated earth over which the apron is to be laid
shall be treated with chemical emulsion at the rate of 5 litres/sq.m of the
surface before the apron is laid. If consolidated earth does not allow
emulsion to seep through, holes up to 50 to 75mm deep at 150 mm centres
both ways may be made with12 mm diameter mild steel rod on the surface
to facilitate saturation of the soil with the chemical emulsion.
4.2.7. Treatment of Soil along External Perimeter of Building
 After the building is complete, holes shall be made in the soil with iron rods
along the external perimeter of the building at interval of about 150 mm
and depth 300 mm and these holes filled with chemical emulsion at the rate
of 7.5 litres/metre of perimeter of the external wall. If the earth outside the
building is graded on completion of building, this treatment shall be carried
out on completion of such grading. If the filling is more than 300 mm the
external perimeter treatment shall extend to the full depth of filling up to
the original ground level so as to ensure continuity of chemical barrier.
4.2.8. Treatment for Expansion Joints
Anti-termite treatment shall be supplemented by treating through the
expansion joint after the sub-grade has been laid at the rate of 2 litres per
linear meter of expansion joint.
4.2.9. Treatment of Soil Surrounding Pipes and Conduits
When pipes and conduits enter the soil inside the area of the foundations,
the soil surrounding the points of entry shall be loosened around each such
pipe or conduit for a distance of 150 mm and to a depth of 75 mm before
treatment is commenced. When they enter the soil external to the
foundations, they shall be similarly treated for a distance of over 300 mm
unless they stand clear of the walls of the building by about 75 mm.

3. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
3.1 All chemicals used for anti-termite treatment are poisonous and hazardous
to health. These chemicals can have an adverse effect upon health when
absorbed through the skin, inhaled as vapors or spray mists or swallowed.
Person using or handling these chemicals should be warned of these
dangers and advised that absorption through the skin is most likely source
of accident poisoning. They should be cautioned to observe carefully the
safety precautions given below.
3.2 These chemicals are usually brought to site in the form of emulsifiable
concentrates. The containers should be clearly labelled and should be
stored carefully so that children and pet cannot get at them. They shall be
kept securely closed.
3.3 Particular care shall be taken to prevent skin contact with concentrates.
Prolonged exposure to dilute emulsions shall also be avoided. Workers shall
wear clean clothing and wash thoroughly with soap and water, especially
before eating and smoking. In the event of severe contamination, clothing
shall be removed at once and the skin washed with soap and water. If
chemicals splash into eyes they shall be flushed with plenty of soap and
water and immediate medical attention shall be sought.
3.4 The concentrates are oil solutions and present a fire hazard owing to the
use of petroleum solvents. Flames shall not be allowed during mixing.
3.5 Care shall be taken in the application of chemicals to see that they are not
allowed to contaminate wells or springs which serve as source of drinking
water.

END