PEST CONTROL

Pests such as insects and rodents can contaminate food supplies. They can also cause
electrical hazards and damage to the building.

Commercial food premises and all supporting areas, premises, and facilities must be kept free
of pests and of conditions that lead to the harbouring or breeding of pests.

Operators are required by law to maintain a written record of all pest control measures
taken.

General Pest Control Tips:

1. Remove unused equipment and keep all areas clean, especially behind equipment and
shelving
2. Screen doors and windows
3. Fill and seal all hole with steel wool, concrete, etc.
4. Check all deliveries
5. Eliminate any food or water source
6. Have a licensed pest control company on contract
7. Store food in pest-proof containers

TYPE OF PESTS

Cockroaches
• Hard to get rid of
• Can live up to 2 years, females can lay up to 500 eggs
• Live and breed in dark, warm, moist, and hard to clean areas
• Give off strong oily odour
• Feces looks like grains of pepper
• Eat anything organic
• Lay eggs inside corrugated sections of cardboard
• Normally look for food in the dark. If seen in the light, heavy infestation likely

Flies
• Attracted by smells of rot, garbage, and feces
• Breed in garbage and feces
• Small fly problem can turn into a big one quickly. Female fly can
lay up to 750 eggs over its life. Eggs can hatch in as quick as 7 days
• Eggs laid in warm, moist, rotting material out of sunlight

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 • Bodies covered in hair, feet have suction cups which can easily spread disease
• Have no teeth. Eat solid food by first vomiting on it, acid from stomach dissolves food,
fly sucks it back up. Vomit left behind after fly leaves contaminates food
• Defecate on food while feeding also contaminates food

Other Insects
• Beetles, moths and ants can survive on very small amounts of food
• Flour moths, beetles, and insects like them are often found in dry storage areas
• Look for:
 Insect bodies
 Wings or webs
 Food that’s clumped together
 Holes in folds and packaging

• Ants often nest in walls and floors, especially near stoves and hot water pipes.
They’re drawn to warmth and to greasy and sweet foods

Rodents
• Rats and mice ruin food and damage property
• Serious health hazard, disease spread through feces or touching food-contact
surfaces
• Urinate and defecate as they move around contaminating food
• Rats and mice will breed quickly
• Rats smart, hard to control. Rat bites very dangerous to
humans. Dead rats must be handled carefully to avoid
spreading disease
• Active in the dark at night. If seen in the light, heavy infestation
likely

PREVENTION AND CONTROL – INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM)

Keeping pests from infesting your premises is much easier and less expensive than getting
rid of pests that are already there.

An integrated pest management (IPM) program is a system designed to both keep pests from
getting into food premises and get rid of any pests that are already there. It can be visualized
best as increasingly larger rings of protection that reduce the need for the most risky and
dangerous options of control.

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In an IPM program, there are two types of pest control measures – operator-applied and
professional-applied. With IPM, you work closely with a licensed pest control operator.

Three rules for developing an IPM program:

1. Deny pests food, water and shelter by following good sanitation and housekeeping
practices (operator-applied control measures)

2. Keep pests out by pest-proofing the building (operator-applied control measures)

3. Work with a licensed pest control company (professional-applied control measures)

1. Sanitation and Housekeeping (Operator-applied control measures)

Pest control doesn’t take the place of good sanitation. The cleaner your premise is, the
easier it will be for you to control pests.

DO:
• Store all food and supplies at least 15 cm (six inches) off floor so you can watch for
signs of pests
• Keep grains and open bulk food products in sealed metal or heavy plastic
containers
• Keep break rooms, washrooms, and locker rooms clean and dry

DON’T
• Don’t accept any shipment that shows signs of pests, like gnawing or feces
• Don’t keep cardboard packaging around. It can carry cockroach eggs
• Don’t let spilled food attract pests. Clean up any spills right away
• Don’t leave garbage where it will attract pests. Store it properly

2. Pest Proofing (Operator-applied control measures)

DO:
• Seal gaps, cracks and openings in floors, walls and
equipment
• Repair any leaky plumbing
• Keep outside of building in good repair
• Use screens to cover windows, doors and vents
• Install heavy plastic strips or air curtains on any receiving doors that need to be
open often

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DON’T
• Don’t have a water source for pests. Drain sinks and repair leaky pipes
• Don’t leave doors open when not in use. Use a door sweep to prevent rodents from
squeezing in. Mice need only a quarter inch opening. Rats only a half-inch opening

3. Pest Control Operator (Professional-applied control measures)

When operator-applied pest control measures are not effective and a pest infestation is
suspected, a food premises operator will be expected to contract with a licensed pest
control company. Be sure to hire one with a good reputation. They should combine
sanitation, non-chemical controls, building maintenance and chemical treatment. A
good working relationship between the operator and the pest control company is
important to keep a pest-free environment.

Some chemicals and treatments can’t be used when employees are in the area or on
the premises. A professional should be hired to do this.

Other methods that a pest control operator can use are traps, glue
boards, and poison baits. They can also destroy nests and breeding
places.

Continuous follow up is important (usually once or twice a month) to

make sure the methods successfully eliminate the infestation. If not,
other methods should be tried.