NPMA Compiles a Universal Set of Pest Management Standards for Food Plants

Clearly, food security is a top priority for the auditors who developed the guidelines, but the NPMA recommendations also set a high bar for personal safety training. They require that pest management companies have a written safety plan and document training for every employee who works in a food plant. This is no small order. The following is just a partial list of what these safety plans must include:

• respiratory protection training if products requiring a respirator are used;
• pesticide safety training, including understanding of proper disposal of products and containers;
• emergency response procedures in case of chemical spills;
• fall prevention guidelines;
• ladder safety and transportation guidelines;
• warnings of potential crushing hazards;
• shoe safety requirements; and
• hazard communication protocols.

Beyond safety training, the universal standards also require food plant technicians to be certified by the applicable regulatory agency and have proof of technical training specific to food plants, including training in current good manufacturing practices (GMPs). Does your provider have proof of such training? It’s worth asking to be sure you’re not surprised at audit time.

Look Back Before Looking Forward

They say history repeats itself, but when there’s a pest problem in your plant, no one wants a repeat. Looking back at your past pest management records is extremely important when developing a customized pest management program. The NPMA recommends that your pro-vider inspect the entire site and interview key plant contacts about past pest activity and pest management work. Have you had a pest problem at your facility? If so, where? What treatment methods were used? And so forth.

Your provider should also check for areas prone to pests, the “hot spots” around your facility. Following are the NPMA’s recommendations on the most common pests found in food processing settings.

Rodents: Once your provider completes the site analysis, consult an NPMA matrix for recommendations regarding service frequency and bait station spacing to help prevent rodents. This aspect is dynamic and is based on history and intensity of rodent infestation. Work with your pest management professional to make ongoing adjustments as needed. The universal standards mandate at least a quarterly audit.

Insects: Your pest management professional should inspect for insects on at least a monthly basis and make recommendations accordingly. For stored-product pest prevention, the NPMA recommends pheromone traps, which lure pests to a sticky trap using synthetic versions of the pests’ own biological pheromones. Should you suspect an infestation, the bottom line from a food safety standpoint is that you must immediately isolate any infested materials. From a business standpoint, you want to keep product loss to a minimum. If stored-product pests are found, always determine the source before acting; this step will help reduce product loss and save money.

NPMA guidelines recommend using fly lights, which trap and monitor flying insects. Fly lights must be checked weekly for potential infestations. Sticky traps should be monitored monthly, and the sticky material should be replaced during each visit.

The guidelines recommend insect growth regulators, or IGRs, to help reduce adult populations of crawling insects. Regardless of the treatment method, make sure to use products labeled for use at your facility to prevent food contamination.

Birds: Birds can contaminate your plant’s product and create hazardous conditions. Your provider should alert you to any areas susceptible to bird infestations, and you should approve any wire, net device, or material used to prevent roosting. Additional information on bird control can be found on www.pestworld.org in the NPMA resource center.

No matter the pest, promptly report any signs of pest activity to your provider. Constant monitoring and maintenance are the keys to making pest problems a thing of the past.

Communication, Record-Keeping

Everyone knows how important good communication is to any relationship, whether it’s with your family, friends, or customers. But if you think of your pest management provider as “just another vendor” who comes and goes with little interaction from you, think again. As with any relationship, you can’t underestimate the importance of good communication with your provider.