The only thing your business should warmly welcome are your customers, not pests. Whilst it’s highly likely that you already have an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program in place, the question is if your employees are familiar with the most common pests lurking in your commercial space.

Do your staff know the tell-tale signs of rats and mice? What about those of cockroaches?

When it comes to defending your business against pests, your employees are the front-liners. It’s important that they know your IPM program by heart so they can help detect and report pest issues. This, in turn, will enable you to resolve any arising issues quickly.

Why this matters, you might ask? Apart from being downright nuisances, pests can threaten the health of your customers, especially if it’s an infestation we’re talking about. E.coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Shigella, Bacillus and Clostridium are just a few of disease-causing pathogens pests such as flies, rodents and cockroaches transmit.

What’s more, pests and poor pest control practices can cost your business annual audit points. A poor score can damage not only your reputation, but also your bottom line.

Avoid the risks pest pose and involve your staff on the front end. Follow the simple steps below and you’ll be on the right track in training them.

1. Be Proactive

Establishing daily sanitation routines is essential. A few practices to enforce include the following:

• Sweep and mop on a regular basis. Be careful not to leave out the space underneath machines, tables and beds.

• Wipe down equipment regularly.

• Wipe off countertops and sweep floors especially where food is present.

• Line and cover all trash cans securely. Dispose of trash every day and ensure garbage bins and dumpsters are cleaned regularly.

• Clean spills around the sinks of bathrooms and break rooms. Pests such as mice and cockroaches only need a minimal amount of water to survive for multiple days.

2. Always Inspect

Closely monitor every square foot of your commercial space. Ensure the following pest hot spots are regularly checked by your staff:

• Hidden, protected places such as wall voids (through access panels) and under appliances

• Food preparation and dining areas

• Staff locker rooms

• Storage areas and closets

• Laundry areas

• Loading areas where shipments come in and go out

3. See Something? Say Something.

Early and proper communication is a vital part of an IPM plan. Create a pest-sighting protocol that clearly defines the steps to be taken if a pest is spotted. This ought to include whom to report it to. Ensure every staff member understands and can implement the protocol as well.

To give your pest manager the best chance to come up with a customised solution to resolve the issue, your employees will need to record when, where and how many were seen at the time. What’s better is if you can catch one of the pests for later identification. Just remember to keep it in a container.

It’s paramount to be on the forefront when it comes to preparing for a pest problem. Properly and continuously educate your staff on pests and pest prevention practices. This will enable you to maintain a clean and healthy space not only for you and your employees, but also and especially for your customers.

Got a pest infestation? Call Bob Gunn Termite Solutions in Brisbane today. We offer FREE quotes for all our services.

1. Mouldy Walls and Ceilings

2. Severe Cracking

3. Faulty Windows and Jamming Doors

4. Rotting Wooden Decks and Balustrades

5. Musty Smells and Water Stains

6. Termites

Think Your Home Is Sick?

Rodents always make their way to the list of the most threatening pests in the food industry. Their activity in food establishments especially increases during the cooler months since low temperatures prompt mice and rats to seek shelter in warm areas with easily accessible food and water.

Do Not Underestimate Rodents
Pest control matters a lot in restaurant health inspections, which is why restaurateurs ought to have a plan to prevent rodent issues. In fact, a mere evidence of a live mouse or rat being discovered can lead to a food establishment being shut down until the problem is resolved.

Protect your business and reputation by keeping rodents out of your establishment and its online reviews. Here are a few steps on how you can keep rodents out of your restaurant.

1. Inspect or Get Inspected

Proper inspection starts with determining rodent hot spots and knowing what to find. The following are a few of the most common rodent hot spots and runways:

• Stored Product Areas
• Cluttered Offices/Back Rooms
• Behind and Under Kitchen Appliances
• Within Wall, Ceiling and Floor Voids

Signs of Rodents
In these hot spots, look for chew marks on walls, insulation and wiring, packages as well as pellet droppings that look like capsules. Grease or rub marks along walls are also another sign of live rodents. These marks are from their fur.

Secluded places such as roofs, wall voids and attics can also have rodent nests made of shredded material paper and cloth. Inspect for burrows outside your restaurant as well, specifically near areas where garbage is placed and along the side of your establishment’s foundation.

2. Block All Possible Entryways

Rats can fit through quarter-sized holes while mice can fit through holes with the size of a dime. For this reason, it’s important to seal off any potential points of entry. You can do this by…

• Installing door sweeps
• Sealing cracks
• Removing gaps around utility lines
• Getting rid of any low-hanging tree limbs that touch the building

Keep rodents out by also ensuring that products, before being brought inside your establishment, are checked for rodent warning signs. These include chew marks and suspicious holes. If there are any, refuse the delivery and inform your supplier as soon as possible.

3. Maintain Cleanliness

Keeping a clean establishment is one of the best ways to prevent pest infestations from happening. Here are a few steps you can take every day to ensure your building is pest-free:

• Repair leaky sinks and equipment immediately as moisture attracts rodents.
• Clean food debris and spills as soon as possible
• Make an established cleaning procedure for the start and finish of each shift.
• Never leave dirty dishes overnight.
• Cover trash receptacles always.
• De-clutter your office space and storage closets regularly—this is always forgotten.

4. Educate Your Employees

Much like running a great restaurant, pest management cannot be done by one person alone. For this reason, it’s important to teach your staff what to look for and who to tell before your issue becomes your customer’s. If everyone helps to keep rodents out of your restaurant, pest management should be a piece of cake.

Talk to a trustworthy pest manager —just like Bob Gunn Termite Solutions —today. We’re more than glad to discuss and address the concerns you have regarding rodents, cockroaches, flies, ants and other pests. Call us today on 07 3286 9877. Book online to get a discounted price for pest control service.