13 replies to this topic

[RORORO]

Hi All !

 

As a QA executive in a frozen meat product industry, I want to reduce the flies in the production area. May i know is it acceptable to place the fly electrocutor inside the production above the sensitive area, but it only open after the working hours?

Edited by RORORO, 27 January 2025 - 06:01 AM.

[Setanta]

I have other questions, but I will try to answer yours 1st.

 

Where would the dead flies fall? Where are the bug kill lights located? Are any of them above production equipment?

Are you going to be cleaning and sanitizing the area when production starts?

Why not use glue boards?

[Dorothy87]

hi  

 

your pest control service should be able to deliver a risk assessment and a root cause analysis to identify the source of flies.

 

This must be addressed first, then if not avoidable then you can use a special fly killers with a drawer to reduce risk of cross-contamination. 

[Setanta]

So my questions are around why do you have a fly problem in such a cold environment? Wouldn't it be better to eliminate the source of the problem?

[Scampi]

Nasty

 

my guess is the plant isn't cleaned properly following a schedule and that air doesn't flow from cleanest to dirtiest part of the plant

 

in short, NO not acceptable, glue boards only

[kfromNE]

I would contact your pest control. Find out why you are having issues in the first place. What temperature are your production rooms held at. Like others said - the cold should keep flies away. 

[SQFconsultant]

Go to your PCO for a custom solution.

 

And ask them why you have so many flies in your production area to begin with.

 

You mention   " but it only open after the working hours?  "  ---- do you mean production is open to the exterior?  The question is (if that is the case) is WHY???

[GMO]

Do you have a pest contractor?  If not, get one, you need the expertise.

 

They will advise the correct location of an EFK which should be a "glue board" type.  However, while this doesn't routinely eject dead flies, they can fall off, especially if the board is loaded.  I would never put it above open product.

 

So, as others have said, why do you have the flies?

 

Let me tell you a story.  In one manufacturer who shall remain nameless, I was reviewing the EFK counts.  I thought "that's odd, there are loads of moths on that EFK but it's nowhere near a door that opens!"

 

I should have trusted the data.  At 3am I once walked into the factory (the joys of insomnia).  The fire door close to this EFK was open for ventilation.  The moths should have given it away to me.  Open door at night.

 

So the contractor should be helping you here but as I said, moths = open door.  Tiny little flies which look like fruit flies?  Dirty drains possibly with stagnant water in them.  Flies which look a lot like house flies?  Possibly cluster flies, get the contractor to look in any roof voids and treat up there.

 

If you need more support once you know what it is you're getting, pop back.

[RORORO]

I have other questions, but I will try to answer yours 1st.

 

Where would the dead flies fall? Where are the bug kill lights located? Are any of them above production equipment?

Are you going to be cleaning and sanitizing the area when production starts?

Why not use glue boards?

Hi. 
For your question,
1. The flies would fall onto the floor/ machine, but i have planned to do cleaning before operating the machine
2. As the flies usually gather around the machine, so i have planned to install on the above of machine
3. Yes, as i mentioned before, it might be installed above the production equipment
4. Yes
5. As the processing area is very big, and the insect light trap is installed on the wall, so the effectiveness of insect light trap is not so effective due to the flies usually are flying around on the machine (center of production area).

[RORORO]

So my questions are around why do you have a fly problem in such a cold environment? Wouldn't it be better to eliminate the source of the problem?

Hi,
For your question,
In our factory, there have one area that is designed to cook the production (e.g. meatball) before transferring to freezing treatment. 

[RORORO]

Go to your PCO for a custom solution.

 

And ask them why you have so many flies in your production area to begin with.

 

You mention   " but it only open after the working hours?  "  ---- do you mean production is open to the exterior?  The question is (if that is the case) is WHY???

Hi,
For your question,
No. I mean the fly eletrocutor will only open after the working hour. Our production working hour is 8 am to 4.30 pm. Before going back, the production worker have to open the fly electrocutor to eliminate the flies. 
Why I have to open after the working hours? 
Because that processing area is an enclosed area with a automated door. Therefore, the flies which have go inside the processing area will be stayed inside the processing area after the working hours. So my idea is to remove the flies or reduce the flies as much as possible with the fly electrocutor to prevent it to lay egg on the production equipment. 

[RORORO]

Do you have a pest contractor?  If not, get one, you need the expertise.

 

They will advise the correct location of an EFK which should be a "glue board" type.  However, while this doesn't routinely eject dead flies, they can fall off, especially if the board is loaded.  I would never put it above open product.

 

So, as others have said, why do you have the flies?

 

Let me tell you a story.  In one manufacturer who shall remain nameless, I was reviewing the EFK counts.  I thought "that's odd, there are loads of moths on that EFK but it's nowhere near a door that opens!"

 

I should have trusted the data.  At 3am I once walked into the factory (the joys of insomnia).  The fire door close to this EFK was open for ventilation.  The moths should have given it away to me.  Open door at night.

 

So the contractor should be helping you here but as I said, moths = open door.  Tiny little flies which look like fruit flies?  Dirty drains possibly with stagnant water in them.  Flies which look a lot like house flies?  Possibly cluster flies, get the contractor to look in any roof voids and treat up there.

 

If you need more support once you know what it is you're getting, pop back.

Hi, 
For your question,
Ya, I have faced the problem similar to your example.
The processing area door is designed toward the warehouse, and the largest problem to me is the industrial rubbish bin is placed near to the door of warehouse. And the door of warehouse is near to the door of the processing area. 
So, I have recommended the management team to move the industrial rubbish bin to the appropriate place.
Now, my concern is the flies will fall into the food and lay egg on the production equipment, and i want to reduce the flies number first before they move the rubbish bin away. 

[GMO]

Hi RORORO, I think we're starting to get a bit more info now.

Yes, move that bin away from the door not just for fly control but also rodent risk.

But do you nit have a pest contractor? Please get one if not...

Ok I think one thing is an area I'd raise. EFKs do kill flies BUT that's not really their only purpose. They're also there to help understand the species and prevalence in your environment.

Switching it on just at night is not the answer.

As I understand it apart from the bin I'd raise two questions. Is the door near the bin frequently used? Is waste in that bin wrapped and the cover shut to reduce fly activity? Both of these are areas you could look at to improve fly counts.

Next look to that door. Are there any times of day or night where it's propped open? Sorry to be suspicious but it's happened a lot of times in my career.

Lastly you appear to be wanting to control flies in the vicinity of this machine. Again I'd ask "what kind of flies?" This is again where a pest contractor looking at your sticky boards could help.

These are the two things which I think could be happening if you think there are flies in that area and neither of them means an EFK on at night is the solution.

Option 1. You have a drain or water residues in or under the machine which is being missed in cleaning. Maybe there's an inaccessible drain. If you can, inspect it. You can get some fancy but fairly cheap endoscopic cameras nowadays to fit to a phone but if there is a drain under there and you can't get to it, it's likely to be a problem. If this is the issue you're likely to see little "drain flies" which are very much like fruit flies on EFK sticky boards near the drain or machine thats an issue.

Option 2. An alternative and sorry to get revolting here.... it's not bluebottles is it? I'm not a pest expert but they and similar flies feed on excrement or rotting meat. If it's those kind of flies then I'd suggest within your machine there is some rotting meat (or possibly a drain if the debris is very bad).

So before thinking about trying to get rid of your flies with an EFK I really recommend you find out where they're coming from as the issue you find may be worse than the flies. And I would love to get that machine on a PPM fully stripped back to see what I'd find...

Lastly on EFK placement it's a no brainer to involve an expert again. You need the right height, the right distance from potential openings, the right light patterns. I remember one contractor pointing out an ideal location from an airflow point of view. You can also get free hanging EFKs which do not need to wall mounted. This is helpful if you're trying to avoid machinery.

Edited by GMO, 03 February 2025 - 09:07 AM.

[GMO]

Hi, 
For your question,
Ya, I have faced the problem similar to your example.
The processing area door is designed toward the warehouse, and the largest problem to me is the industrial rubbish bin is placed near to the door of warehouse. And the door of warehouse is near to the door of the processing area. 
So, I have recommended the management team to move the industrial rubbish bin to the appropriate place.
Now, my concern is the flies will fall into the food and lay egg on the production equipment, and i want to reduce the flies number first before they move the rubbish bin away.

So sorry about my wordy answer. But I suppose my point is the drive should be to eradicate the source of the flies. Reducing their number without doing that is like "whack a mole", they'll just keep coming. Also your high fly numbers could be an indicator of bigger issues, e.g. poor screening or they're already breeding inside your plant but what flies they are will help you determine that.