Environmental controls
Environmental controls are about preventing pests through denying them access to the things they need. As you’ve learnt, pests need food, moisture, warmth and shelter, so to prevent them, we need to remove these things. Environmental controls should be the starting point to controlling pests.
Preventing access
A good starting point is preventing access. This means stopping pests being able to get in. This can be done by designing and maintaining food premises to minimise entry points, ensuring good pest proofing, keeping windows and doors closed or suitably screened, installing metal plates/ bristle strips along the bottom of wooden doors, regularly checking for holes and making sure any holes are sealed.
Removing food, water and shelter
We can also prevent pests by removing food, water and shelter.
Here are some practical steps:
- clearing up spillages immediately
- ensuring good housekeeping
- ensuring no taps are left dripping
- ensuring high standards of cleaning at all times
- ensuring food is covered/ packaged thoroughly i.e. in pest-proof containers
- storing waste correctly both inside and outside of the premises
- keeping internal and external areas free of clutter
- storing food off of the floor and away from the walls
- thoroughly checking deliveries of raw materials and laundry for signs of pests
- ensuring there are no quiet, undisturbed areas where pests could hide
- ensuring items such as unused equipment are not left to pile in parts of the premises
- preventing vegetation or dis-used equipment around the outside of the premises
Physical and chemical controls
Where environmental controls have failed, it may be necessary to use physical or chemical measures to control or exterminate pests.
Physical measures include electric fly killers (EFKs), sticky fly papers, snap traps, and sticky boards. The benefits of physical measures are they allow pests to be caught and avoid them dying in hard to reach places.
Chemical measures include poisons such as rodenticides or insecticides. The use of pest control chemicals must be carried out by licensed contractors and fully trained, authorised operatives. Care must be taken when using chemicals measures to ensure that food is not contaminated.
