Food Service Pest Control in Utica, NY

Why is a food business's pest programme different from a home's?

Because the food business has to show its work. The programme is documented, the treatment is placed away from food, and the records are kept for an inspector or the owner.

A food premises is inspected, and the inspector looks for evidence that pests are controlled and that the business is managing the risk. A home can be treated and left at that, but a food business needs a record of visits, findings and actions to show that the programme is working.

The placement of the treatment is also different. Products cannot be used where food is prepared or stored, so the technician plans the treatment around the food areas rather than through them.

Where do pests get into a food business?

Through the delivery door, the back entrance, the drains, the cracks around the cooler and the gaps where utility lines enter. Deliveries bring pests in on boxes and pallets as well.

The back door is often the busiest entry point, and a door that is open during delivery or waste removal is a route in. Floor drains and grease traps can also draw flies and roaches, and a drain that is not cleaned regularly becomes a breeding site.

Deliveries bring pests in on cardboard, pallets and stock. The technician checks incoming goods during the visit and notes the stock areas that need attention, and the owner is asked to inspect deliveries before they are placed in storage.

• Keep the back door closed except when in use
• Check deliveries for pests before stocking
• Clean floor drains and grease traps on a schedule
• Store dry goods off the floor in sealed containers

How is treatment placed in a working kitchen?

In voids, cracks and waste areas, never on prep surfaces or near food. The treatment is applied when the kitchen is closed, and the surfaces are cleaned before the kitchen reopens.

Crack-and-crevice treatment, bait stations and monitoring devices are placed where the pests hide and travel. Bait stations are kept out of reach of food and staff, and the technician records the placement on a plan so the staff know where they are.

Surfaces are cleaned after treatment, and the owner is told which areas are not to be used until the product has dried. The records state the time the treatment was applied and the time the area was cleared for use.

What records should a food business keep?

A dated visit log, a monitoring plan, the findings and the actions taken, along with the certificate of the company that performed the work. A tidy record is the business's best evidence.

The log should record what was seen and what was done. The monitoring plan shows where the devices are placed. The certificate shows that the work was done by a technician with the commercial certification that New York requires for pay work.

The owner should keep the records with other food safety records and make sure a manager knows where they are. A record that cannot be found in an inspection does not help the business.

What should staff do between visits?

Report any sighting to the manager, keep the waste area closed and clean, and avoid storing food or boxes on the floor. Those habits make the technician's work last.

Staff are the first to notice a problem, and a quick report to the manager lets the technician act before the activity spreads. Waste should be bagged and placed in a closed bin, and the bin area should be cleaned regularly.

Boxes and stock should be kept off the floor and away from walls, so that the monitoring can see what is moving. A tidy kitchen is easier to inspect, and the owner is told what to check each day.

• Report any sighting to the manager straight away
• Keep waste bagged and in closed bins
• Keep boxes and stock off the floor
• Clean the bin area on a regular schedule