How can I verify the effectiveness of my pest control program?

Hello folks, can you tell me how can I verify the effectiveness of my pest control program?  

Thanks

Yes, make put the plan on your internal auditing program and when you are following up during the internal audit have the pest control techs present as well.

Want to have a really good program from a contractor - put them to task by doing an internal audit on their program and on the facility they service.

That will serve as your verification and more.

Hi, Jeanc.

You may refer to the following question that will guide to say your IPM is effective:

1. Is your pest trend improving (no increase but decrease in pest sighting and activity)?

2. Is my chemical application increasing? Or is the cost of my chemical decreasing?

3. Are the increase in the closure of gaps related to pest management?

4. Does the awareness of people increases? are many of them reporting (while this contradict the 1st part this will gauge you how effective your communication is it could be before that you have less sighting because people don't care)

5. Are all written in the scope of work or contact being complied to.

Thanks

Hello folks, can you tell me how can I verify the effectiveness of my pest control program?  

 

 

Thanks

Hi jean,

Self-maintained program or contracted ? or ?

specific component of interest ?

Jean,

We have a contracted program through Ecolab and they perform audits on their program regularly.  It is a cost effective way to outsource a big section of your food safety program if you can get in contact with a reputable group that can maintain good documentation.  You can do it yourself but when handling the poisons and traps I have found it is easier to leave it to the professionals.  Additionally, many of the poisons that are placed in the traps can only be handled by licensed professionals and if there are any poison control issues then it can land the company in hot water if there isn't good documentation on how it has been handled.

In addition to auditing I also like to test the pest control systems. I put my business card attached to a piece of paper with the date and time placed into several traps periodically through the year, with instructions to turn them in to me after finding.    I found that if they bring back the card the traps are being checked or I can inquiry if it isn't.   

I second Glenn

If you have included all of your pest devices on your monthly internal audit, as well as Pre Op and daily GMPs (location, evidence of pests etc) that is your verification of the pest control activities

If you are NOT checking for pests and leaving it all to your contractor (who you may never see) then how would you know if its effective?  And your PCO is not responsible for daily activities that relate to pest management like keeping doors closed and sanitation practices

Putting a business card in a trap just proves that the contractor checked the traps and is not indicative of how effective the program is

My auditor was actually looking for that business card example (my predecessor used it here) so I think it must have come up in training sessions or something

VERIFICATION------making sure the program as written and implemented is achieving the required outcome

Scampi,

Have you had trouble with this when it comes to audits?  We were told that the plan in place and that the monthly inspection, by the company that is conducting the program, is the verification that the program is working.  They leave notation on traps being checked and any positive finds that indicate pests in the area.  We conduct a company verification of the program with just an annual review that there have been no pests found and that the process is still in place with their scheduled visits and reviews.

No I haven't, but like I mentioned, this is not the first time I've heard this nonsense about a business card stuff.  My actual issue is it seems folks are not performing basic GMP monitoring daily and things are getting missed and the whole program becomes a beast when it needn't be

I'm on agricultural land at my current post so a few more considerations that in an urban setting

IMHO what has happend is SQFs definition of validation and verification are the same thing..........so you've got people who havn't been in the field and have never worked codex HACCP really confused about what the code is asking for

Oh yeah, and auditor asking for things they shouldn't be, so instead of focusing of EFFECTIVELY mitigating risks, folks are trying to make auditors happy

I've had 6 audits this year and only 1 of them had her head screwed on correctly in my opinion and could filter out the nonsense and audit a program PRUDENTLY

http://www.inspectio...7674768_eng.pdf

This is how I learned how to implement codex haccp  and I still use the above format even if I'm not required federally to do so. It was written as a program for Meat/Poultry to follow and I wish more people would use it, and more auditors understood it

A GFSI is supposed to add validity to your process, not double your workload with nothing concrete arising from it

Brett, 

It actually sounds to me like the PCO is monitoring the program, and your company is simply performing an annual reassessment, which all need to be done of course, but the verification piece is missing

I would agree that having no pests should mean the program is working..............but no evidence in bait blocks outside???? Never ever??? Pests always try to get inside in the fall when the weather turns cool and you've never had any issues??

Not ever looking at the pest traps yourself is not a good idea.........if PCO comes monthly......that's alot of time between inspections

I've also worked in facilities where the PCO was there weekly......just depends on where your located and what type of facility you have

In addition to auditing I also like to test the pest control systems. I put my business card attached to a piece of paper with the date and time placed into several traps periodically through the year, with instructions to turn them in to me after finding.    I found that if they bring back the card the traps are being checked or I can inquiry if it isn't.   

This is the route I planned to take.  Have auditors been receptive to this form of verification?