Establishing and maintaining a successful pest management program in a commercial facility requires an open and honest partnership between the client and the pest management professional. Both parties need to be in sync and on the same page to ensure that pests do not become an issue that results in damaging financial, brand or regulatory repercussions.
The client’s role in creating a pest-free environment centers on two main principals – providing the necessary resources (i.e. financial, company buy in, etc.) and placing a strong focus on exclusion and sanitation efforts.
When the Sprague Pest Experts are at a facility responding to a pest issue, the first two questions we ask are, “How did they get in?” and “How did they develop a harborage inside the facility?” Cracking the code to get the answers to these questions requires the assistance of the facility’s quality assurance representative or a member of the management team responsible for pest control.
These managers are the ones who can rally the troops and secure top to bottom buy-in with the current pest management plans. It isn’t an understatement to say that every employee can be a productive part of the process. After all, the best inspectors are the facility’s employees who are the program’s eyes and ears when it comes to spotting potential pest issues.
For example, in a food processing facility having the sanitation and maintenance staffs participate in discussions or inspections regarding pest issues is vital. These personnel are the ones doing the deep cleaning or changing out filters on machinery. They are the ones responsible for installing the door sweeps or making sure air intakes are properly screened.
What they see in the course of their work can greatly assist a pest management professional in determining what pests are trying to gain access to the building and where they are trying to do it. Again, they are the first set of eyes and ears in the battle against pests.
Today, managers in commercial facilities – whether it is an apple processing facility or a mixed-use retail and entertainment complex – are challenged to do more with less. It is important to remember that the Sprague Pest Experts can be the more in this equation.