Exterminate

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The chemical option could contaminate your facility - very dangerous in the food sector.

Pest control is an element of facilities management that can save lives and the business bottom line. fmME looks into integrated pest management systems and gives you a check list to keep your facility safe.

The cornerstone of an effective integrated pest management (IPM) programme is a schedule of regular inspections. These inspections should focus on areas where pests are most likely to appear: receiving docks, storage areas, employee break rooms, sites of recent ingredient spills et al. Also, identify any potential entry points, food and water sources, or harborage zones that might encourage pest problems. The following steps give a framework to build an IPM programme around.

Preventative action

As regular inspections reveal vulnerabilities in your pest management programme, take steps to address them before they cause a real problem in your facility.

One of the most effective prevention measures is exclusion, performing structural maintenance to close potential entry points revealed during inspection.

By physically keeping pests out, you can reduce the need for chemical countermeasures, which should be considered as the last course of action. Likewise, sanitation and housekeeping will eliminate potential food and water sources, reducing the attraction for pests.

Identification

Different pests have different behaviours. By identifying the problematic species, pests can be eliminated more efficiently and with the least risk of harm to other organisms. Professional pest management always starts with the correct identification of the pest in question. Make sure your pest control provider undergoes rigorous training in pest identification and behaviour.

Analysis

Once you have properly identified the pest, you need to understand why it is in your facility. Is there food debris or moisture accumulation that may be attracting it? What about odours? How are the pests finding their way in - through the floors or walls? Could incoming shipments be infested? The answers to these questions will lead to the best choice of control techniques.

Treatment selection

Integrated pest management stresses the use of non-chemical control methods, such as exclusion or trapping, before moving to chemical options. When other control methods have failed or are inappropriate for the situation, chemicals may be used in their least volatile formulations in targeted areas.

Often, the right treatment will consist of a combination of responses, from chemical treatments to baiting to trapping. But by focusing on non-chemical options first, you can ensure that your pest management programme is effectively eliminating pests at the least risk to your food safety programme, non-target organisms and the environment.

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