Pest infestations can come in many unwelcome forms. They can hide underneath floorboards, in the hollows of the walls, or empty storage rooms. No structure is immune to attacks, but food production and processing facilities are particularly vulnerable.
Commissaries and food manufacturers have to deal with the threat of rodents, insects, and all sorts of unwanted guests daily. Pests can not only cause extensive damage to the building and its equipment but more importantly, they may contaminate products with harmful and sometimes deadly diseases.
Managers of commercial food processing facilities need to take extreme measures to preserve the cleanliness and sanitation of their operations. Conducting regular inspections around their premises may reveal several signs of infestation, such as traces of urine, droppings, or loose fur. Aside from animal and insect waste, they should take care to inspect storage containers with holes, packaging that has bites and scratch marks, and visibly damaged or rotting products that may have been contaminated.
If you want to take active steps to protect your facility from rats, flies, cockroaches and other types of pests, here are a few things you and your team should do:
Conduct regular training sessions for personnel
Knowledgeable and capable people enforce proper sanitation habits. You need to equip your team with the expertise and the information to detect and prevent pests from invading your factory. Ignorance or a lack of awareness may lead staff to inadvertently bring in pests or create opportunities for them to thrive. Before new team members can begin working at your facility, you must require them to undergo training on pest control, and have periodic refresher courses for long-term staff as well.
Have a daily schedule for inspections
Prevention is a daily task, especially in a facility that carries plenty of temptation for pests. Set a regular time to conduct swift and thorough inspections. You can break down the facility into sections so that each member is responsible for their area within the commissary. It can be overwhelming to leave the responsibility of inspections to one or two people. Cascade the duties and allow all your employees to have a role in the protection of your workplace.
Carry out frequent spot-checks
Aside from an overall inspection, you should also look into the products that come out of your assembly line. Pests may not leave signs of infestation around your premises. However, they may have already infiltrated your food production machinery. Do a random check of your output multiple times in a day. You might find clues to some pest activity in your products.
Seal all openings
With your staff thoroughly trained and vigilant, checking is part of the company culture, don’t forget to take physical precautions to seal the building’s weak points. Consult your local pest control about food-safe materials you can use in your building. You can add seals on your windows and entryways to block any openings in the joints or frames. Have hydraulic closers on your doors, so they shut even when someone forgets to close the door tightly. Patch up any cracks or openings no matter how small, since pests can come in all shapes and sizes.
When it comes to food safety and preserving the quality of your products, there are no shortcuts. You can never be overly cautious or paranoid, especially when your wares are going to be consumed by the general public. Maintaining a sterile environment in your processing plant should be the utmost priority of any food production company.
Do you need commercial pest control services? We can provide professional solutions to rid your premises of pests. Let us help keep your business safe and clean. Call us today for a free quotation.
