12 replies to this topic

[Sabear]

We hire an outside company to do all of our pest control. Wondering what "tests" I can do to ensure that they are doing what they say they are doing. I've read about putting a card in the bait boxes. But what about the bug traps?

Any examples or advice would be very appreciated.

[nwilson]

We use the same methods with bug lights as we do tin cats.  Place a business card in the light trap and tell the PCO to bring it back to you.  

[Gerard H.]

Dear Sarah,

 

Another practice is to place a sticker, on which the registration, is made on or in every trap. Each time the pest controller passes, he notes his check on it with a marker. And you carry out spot checks afterwards, to ensure yourself of the right execution of the pest prevention program.

 

This sticker has the week numbers of the year. For the new year, the stickers will be replaced.

 

It's very important that the pest controller does what he says, because only then pest issues can be resolved.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gerard Heerkens

[Quality Is the Goal]

Hello Sarah,

 

I used to creat couple laminated tags with different # or a different color (i had 6 tags) also with the request " please return to QA" , and then my QA Tech place them randomly all over the facility (inside and out) then i had a log where QA Tech recorded where exactly those tags were. My pest control contractor must return the tags and tell me where exactly they were, usually when pest control contractor was scaning the traps he was making a comment where  did he found the tag so i was able to see it on the report,  or he described the area where he found them, then pest control tech sign off on my log.

 

I started doing it because one of the USDA Inspector wanted to see in-house pest control Inspection and in this way, i had my QA Tech Inspect 6 random traps and place the tags.

[Quality Is the Goal]

Hello Sarah,

 

I used to creat couple laminated tags with different # or a different color (i had 6 tags) also with the request " please return to QA" , and then my QA Tech place them randomly all over the facility (inside and out) then i had a log where QA Tech recorded where exactly those tags were. My pest control contractor must return the tags and tell me where exactly they were, usually when pest control contractor was scaning the traps he was making a comment where  did he found the tag so i was able to see it on the report,  or he described the area where he found them, then pest control tech sign off on my log.

 

I started doing it because one of the USDA Inspector wanted to see in-house pest control Inspection and in this way, i had my QA Tech Inspect 6 random traps and place the tags

My QA Tech was recording the trap #  and  Pest control contractor must provide the same trap # or describe the area where it was found. Also, QA Tech and Pest Control Contractor signed off on the log

[classic]

Accompany the Pest Controller periodically.  You can then see for yourself if they are checking the boxes, replacing baits and carrying out catch tray analysis from fly units.

[Quality Is the Goal]

Accompany the Pest Controller periodically.  You can then see for yourself if they are checking the boxes, replacing baits and carrying out catch tray analysis from fly units.

It might be a good idea, but then pest control contractor will do all the inspection for sure,  because he/she will be under the supervision. 

[Gerard H.]

Dear All,

 

It's a good step to improve the pest prevention programs of the companies and to be sure that the program is carried out as planned.

 

If there is distrust about the technician or the pest prevention company, we are talking about other things. It's necessary to take the distrust away.

 

When there are persisting pest problems, then there may be other issues that are causing the problem. Detection of pests doesn't equal the solution of pests.

 

https://qualitic4u.c...t-free-company/

 

So remove all the causes of the pest problems, by working on it. That's also to be the objective of a pest prevention plan.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gerard Heerkens

[Quality Is the Goal]

Dear All,

 

It's a good step to improve the pest prevention programs of the companies and to be sure that the program is carried out as planned.

 

If there is distrust about the technician or the pest prevention company, we are talking about other things. It's necessary to take the distrust away.

 

When there are persisting pest problems, then there may be other issues that are causing the problem. Detection of pests doesn't equal the solution of pests.

 

https://qualitic4u.c...t-free-company/

 

So remove all the causes of the pest problems, by working on it. That's also to be the objective of a pest prevention plan.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gerard Heerkens

I don't think this post is about the distrust. Its just the same when You have a cleaning company cleaning Your equipment but You still do the pre-operational inspections just to make sure equipment is clean ( and its nort about the distrust) or chemical concentration you know that chlorine should be 200ppm and your employees are trained to prepare it but You still need to verify it.  So how i understand Sarah wanted to make sure that pest control do whatever they supposed to do to prevent from possible pest control activities in case if the job is not done.

[Scampi]

I have a daily pest control portion of my GMP record...are traps in correct location, and is there any evidence of flying pests. That way I am monitoring pest control daily and the tech is simply doing a more robust inspection. 

 

The tag system only means that the tech looked at the trap. It is up to the HACCP team to ensure it's effective (that of course includes outside provider)

[dormant account]

I accompany the technician during the quarterly audit but not the monthly service. That was a mistake on my part, trusting that our Pest Control Contractor was doing the work we expected, needed and were paying for. It came out that the technician was dating and signing the traps but not replacing the glue board/bait. I am unhappy for all 3 reasons: we expect a good service, we need the service and we pay for the service. Asking the technician to bring back a card may not be the best way. He can still sign, date and bring back a card without doing the work. My gut feeling was that this technician was keeping the boards/bait for himself and signing that he had filled our traps. The company insisted that his stocks were re-filled daily. So yes, It is necessary to accompany during the service plus do daily general inspection of all traps to check that they are undamaged etc.

[00half]

At our facility our Maintenance department oversees our Pest Control contractors.  We have adopted a system where we use different colored pens that the maintenance supervisor randomly assigns and writes down what color pen was used on that day.  He can then cross-reference his log with the color of ink used when the contractor signs off on the trap that he inspected.  We just had him go out and buy a multi-colored pack of pens to use, they're pretty cheap and you can find them anywhere.

[Mulan1010]

To appease auditors and ensure our system is working properly, we have learned over the years it is easiest to do a combination of verification activities (utilizing many of the ones mentioned in previous responses).   

• We use the card idea monthly, 2 cards a month and vary in the type and location of traps that they are put in, documented as previous responses suggested. 
• We have the bar code scanners on all the traps so the contractor has to open the traps to scan the bar code and there is a written sticker log for each device he writes on too, just in case the scanner isn't working properly. 
• We do monthly audits and randomly open bait traps to inspect that bait is there, glue boards are there and the wind up traps work.
• We do a quarterly walk through with the contractor.
• About every 6 months we verify the pest control devices against the location map.
• We do a weekly check of the interior devices to ensure they are in the proper location and not damaged.
• We train employees to notify management of any sightings and log them and document when contractor was notified of incident.  Then contractor has to record how he/she addressed the issue so we follow up on that.
• We do a quarterly review of the pest control records to ensure we are not showing trends of pest control issues or missing documentation needed.
• New to our regimen this year is a quarterly roof inspection to ensure all piping is covered by screen or closed off, no holes or openings that pests can enter and to look for signs of pests.