Pest Control Checklist Before a Health Inspection:
As a business owner, you’ve likely had to deal with health inspections at your business before. If your business is involved in the food industry, these inspections tend to be frequent with major implications for the success of your business. In addition to safe food handling and storage, one of the most important aspects of a health inspection is making sure your business is free of pests.
But preparing for a health inspection can be stressful if you’re not sure which steps to take. To help you get an idea of what a health inspector looks for in a business, particularly a restaurant, we’re going to cover several key points.
First, let’s discuss the type of pests known to cause problems in restaurants. In addition to contaminating food and spreading disease or illness, pests can destroy your inventory in a matter of seconds.
Common pests in restaurants:
Some of the most common culprits of restaurant pests problems are:
However, it isn’t uncommon to see a variety of other pests in restaurants and other businesses. Because pests can come in several ways, virtually no business with a physical location is immune to pests.
How do pests get in?
Most restaurants receive daily shipments of food and other products. Often, these products or their packaging are already contaminated with pests, and they continue to breed once they’re in your business. If you leave doors propped open in your business while these shipments are coming in, this is another easy way for pests to get in.
In addition to coming in through shipments, there are several other leading causes of pest problems in your business.
Standing water: Where there is standing water, there are usually pests. Many pests, including insects, can breed and survive off standing water. If your restaurant has puddles or other types of standing water, including mop buckets, they will attract pests over time. Standing water can also damage your business’ foundation and lead to even more serious pest problems like termites and carpenter ants.
Unsealed garbage: Restaurants create a lot of food waste and other garbage in a day. When these products aren’t sealed, they’ll quickly attract mice and other pests who will invite all of their friends once they discover this food source.
General cleanliness: The general cleanliness of your business can be a good indicator of your likelihood of a pest problem. We know that pests are attracted to garbage, standing water, and other food sources. If your restaurant or business has an abundance of these uncontained pest food sources, you’re bound to end up with a pest problem.
Improper food storage: If your business stores food in cardboard boxes or other containers that are easily penetrated, pests will catch on quickly and keep coming back for more. All food products should be stored in tightly sealed containers, and up off the floor whenever possible.
What do health inspectors look for?
Health inspectors look for many things regarding the safety and health of your staff and patrons when they conduct an inspection. In every province, the exact specifications of a health inspection for a business will vary.
When it comes to the pest aspect of their inspection, these are some of the things they’ll check for:
Obvious signs of a pest problem: This includes seeing the pests themselves, their droppings, or the damage they leave behind, including bite marks.
Vulnerabilities: We covered how pests typically get into restaurants, and a health inspector will look at each of these things to get an idea of the general cleanliness of the facility. If they notice things like standing water, unsealed garbage, improperly stored food, etc., they’ll know these are potential vulnerabilities in a business that could mean there’s a pest problem.
Pest control measures already in place: If a health inspector knows your business is already proactive about pest control, this can be a very positive sign that you take pest control seriously.
Keeping your business free of pests
There are plenty of easy ways to prevent a pest problem from starting at your business. For starters, look at the common ways pests get in and see what you can do to address those vulnerabilities.
Keep your business clear of standing water, including mop buckets or backed-up drains
Regularly empty the garbage and keep it properly sealed
Keep food in sealed containers that can’t easily be penetrated by pests
Ensure the general cleanliness of your business is top-notch, including wiping down any surfaces to remove them of food and other pest attractants and removing food debris from floors.
Look for any holes or cracks in the foundation of your business that pests could fit through.
Inspect shipments before allowing them into your facility.
What to do if I have a pest problem at my business
Sometimes, a pest problem occurs even if you’ve done everything you can to prevent it. But luckily, help is available.
Brilliex Pest Control creates pest-free environments for commercial properties including restaurants, warehouses, offices, schools, and apartments. We work hard to keep the pests away so you can focus on running your business. To do this, we work side by side with you and your team to keep your surroundings clean and free of pests.
We take proactive initiatives to stop pests from reaching damaging levels before they cause irreversible harm to your business. We will also go through your business from top to bottom, looking for any red flags or vulnerabilities that might lead to further pest problems.
Don’t wait any longer! Call our office for a free consultation today.
To learn more, contact Brilliex Pest at 647-776-7739 or Toll-Free 1-866-650-1811 or Contact Brilliex Pest for a Free Estimate