FREE PEST CONTROL TREATMENTS FOR NEIGHBOURHOOD RENEWAL AREAS
Pest Control
It is important to maintain effective pest control in any food establishment in order to prevent the spread of disease and damage to food and property. Common pests are rats, mice, cockroaches, flies and birds. It is against the law to allow an infestation of pests to develop in food rooms. Essential control measures include;
- Report any sightings or signs of pests to management immediately
- Repair and/or fill any holes leading to the outside of the property
- Keep lids on bins
- Throw out any food damaged by pests
- Regularly inspect stockrooms and stores
- Deny water, warmth, food and a home to pests
- Keep doors and windows shut
- Keep pets out of the kitchen
- Keep food at least 150mm off the floor in store rooms
- Ultra violet fly traps will not work unless switched on and regularly serviced
- Do not use fly sprays in food rooms
- If using chemical treatments, ensure that all holes or damage to the building is repaired
- Employ a reputable pest control company to carry out regular inspections and/or treatments as necessary
- Food handlers must never use pesticides
Further advice can be found in the following leaflets
MICE AND RATS
Mice and rats cause damage to food, drink and property. In addition, they can spread serious disease and infection including food poisoning organisms. Mice and rats can access premises through food packaging, open windows or doors, broken air bricks, missing roof tiles or slates, through the drainage system, or through fresh air inlets where the gauze or mesh is missing.
Signs of an infestation include;
- Droppings (mice droppings are shaped like grains of rice whilst rat droppings are shaped like raisins)
- Damage to food, food packaging and property
- Gnaw marks
- Foot prints and tail marks
- Visual sightings of the mouse/rat
- Grease marks (rats)
- Holes in the ground outside the property (rats)
COCKROACHES
Cockroaches spread serious food borne infections including food poisoning organisms. They can access premises in food packaging, delivery containers and bags and/or through the drainage system.
Signs of an infestation include;
- Visual sightings of cockroaches (dead or alive) and their egg cases
- Droppings
- Smell
Control
70% of good pest control is good housekeeping, 20 -25% is good repair of buildings and the remaining 5-10% is the use of pesticides.
Good Housekeeping (70%)
Keep the premises (including fixtures and fittings) clean and free from refuse or food debris
Repair (20-25%)
Repairing drainage systems, blocking up holes where cables or pipes enter a room, replacing damaged tiles or plaster, repairing dripping pipes or taps, repairing broken doors, windows, slates, tiles, airbricks etc.
Use of Chemicals (5-10%)
Insecticides to kill the cockroaches/Pesticides to kill the rodents
