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

First, strike the word “vendor” from your vocabulary altogether. Your pest management professional should be your partner, with whom you work closely to prevent pests. Remember, your provider should be your biggest ally when it comes to preparing you for audits.

There are three key takeaways from the NPMA’s guidelines on communication and record-keeping:

• The NPMA recommends pest control documentation that includes material safety data sheets, a logbook of all pest sightings and treatments, and copies of pest management technicians’ licenses and insurance.
• Your pest management provider should keep all records and documents, making them available to you within a reasonable time. You may keep these records electronically; back-up copies should be kept at your pest control company’s office. Remember, documentation—the more detailed, the better—will need to be ready at audit time.
• Your pest control provider should conduct an annual educational training session for plant personnel. Getting your staff on board with your pest management efforts is crucial to the success of your program, but if they don’t know what to look for, how can you expect them to participate? If you haven’t had staff training on intensive pest management in the past year, talk to your pest management provider about holding a staff training session soon.

Conduct regular inspections and foster an open dialogue with your pest management professional. Come audit time, you’ll be glad you did. And let’s be honest, it’s no fun to celebrate success alone.

Fall Back on Partnership

Preparing for the pest management portion of your audit can be a daunting task, but with these new guidelines, you and your provider can determine the best plan for your facility. The universal guidelines are designed to help you perform better on your pest control audits, regardless of which auditor you use. But remember, they are just guidelines, not a silver bullet. Every plant is different and requires a customized program, as well as ongoing evaluation and maintenance.

Lean on your provider, your partner in pest management, who is trained and licensed to help you every step of the way. Working together, you might even look forward to your next audit.

Dr. Siddiqi is director of quality systems for Orkin Inc. For more information, e-mail him at [email protected] or visit www.orkincommercial.com.