NSF Audit Finding - Pest Control Stations

We have a 250,000 square foot 3PL facility that handles RTE foods and other items.

There are 50 interior traps that we inspect weekly and are also inspected monthly by our PCO.

On our recent audit, we were issued a finding that we did not have pest control stations on either side of a dock door.  We have ~20 dock doors and most are in series of two with a man door.

How do you do your rodent trap placement in these instances?  We don't want to have more traps than necessary, but also want to stay compliant.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions or expertise to add.

Thanks!!

Corner/Wall____Dock Door___Dock Door___Man Door___Wall___Dock Door___Dock Door___Wall__Dock Door___Dock Door___Man Door___Wall

We've got internal docks also, with additional doors creating a breeze way.

We dealt with this issue for years arguing with auditors as to where the traps needed to be, which is frustrating because the SQF code (module 11) doesn't actually have any specific requirements for trap placement around doors, it only says you need to have an established plan that works for your facility.

Eventually, we just put traps on either side of every external door and dock door. It just wasn't worth the argument anymore and since they are all so close together the cost wasn't a big deal. CB auditors have a bad habit of applying schemes other than the one they are supposed to audit against that day.

If you are getting audited under NSF's "Supplier Assurance Audit", they actually do have this standard:

1.4 E

Labelled mechanical rodent traps shall be placed based on recommendations of the Pest Control Service provider and, at a minimum, inside and on either side of doors that exit to the exterior, including all dock doors with wall signage indicating location.

 

So if that's the standard, you're probably stuck with sticking a small trap between each door. There are slim versions that can make this less bulky/likely to get run over in these areas.

Thank you much!! We were having our annual NSF audit, so it is indeed their standard.  

It is confusing because we will have three doors in succession - does there have to be one on either side of every one?

So lets say the below schematic" 

wall/corner----trap-dock door-trap-dock door-trap-man door-trap----wall

We've got internal docks also, with additional doors creating a breeze way.

 

We dealt with this issue for years arguing with auditors as to where the traps needed to be, which is frustrating because the SQF code (module 11) doesn't actually have any specific requirements for trap placement around doors, it only says you need to have an established plan that works for your facility.

 

Eventually, we just put traps on either side of every external door and dock door. It just wasn't worth the argument anymore and since they are all so close together the cost wasn't a big deal. CB auditors have a bad habit of applying schemes other than the one they are supposed to audit against that day.

 

If you are getting audited under NSF's "Supplier Assurance Audit", they actually do have this standard:

 

 

So if that's the standard, you're probably stuck with sticking a small trap between each door. There are slim versions that can make this less bulky/likely to get run over in these areas.

I was placed traps around every single door just like you noted above. I guess they assume that the rodents will tear off into the warehouse if there isn't an immediate place to "hide".

Is is actually possible in your facility to place a trap against the wall between the doors?

Since rats run against the wall or a floor guide rail do the rats have uninterupted runs or are there obstacles in their path.

If there is no run space the possibility of an issue in these areas is minimized.

I'd want to see a photo.

We are able to place traps in between the dock doors and man doors in our facility - there is just concrete wall between them.

Thanks so much!

 

Is is actually possible in your facility to place a trap against the wall between the doors?

 

Since rats run against the wall or a floor guide rail do the rats have uninterupted runs or are there obstacles in their path.

 

If there is no run space the possibility of an issue in these areas is minimized.

 

I'd want to see a photo.