Any restaurant or caterer owner will know that good food will attract good customers, but it will also attract pests. Rodents, cockroaches, and other pests frequently find their way into commercial kitchens, and a couple of these pests can soon become a mass infestation. They contaminate food, scare off customers and could bring you penalties from food safety regulators.
Proper pest management is critical to the success and survival of any foodservice business – without it, you are risking your reputation and legal obligations.
It’s important you get a reliable and experienced pest control team to keep this part of your business protected.
Take the stress out of controlling pests
Statewide Pest Control is part of Orkin Australia which is one of the biggest pest management businesses in Australia. Through Orkin, we are capable of deploying resources across Victoria or providing national service through Orkin Australia.
As one of Victoria’s most well-resourced pest management business, we provide our valued clients a dedicated account manager along with the same pest technician team that will provide your periodic pest management service.
We tailor our pest management solution to match our client’s requirements. We ensure that we meet the requirements of any necessary compliance standard, such as HACCP and ISO standards.
Our Process
This is our tried and tested process for keeping food service businesses compliant and free of pests year-round.
Step 1. We conduct a thorough audit – free of charge
We have many years experience in the foodservice industry with our pest management service. We know and understand that each food type business must be treated differently which is why it is important we get a comprehensive understanding of each business we work with. We start with a free audit, where we:
- Inspect your premises for pest entry points including hidden cavities and spots that pests may enter
- Understand your business and how food is received, handled and stored
- Assess your existing pest reports
- Check your surrounding environment and familiarise ourselves with pests in the Area including how pests interact with your environment during seasonal periods
Step 2. We assign you a dedicated account manager and pest control team
When you have an operation to manage and run, you need to have the one contact point to stay up to date with your pest management progress. It’s also important that you have the same technicians coming to your premises each time, so they know your business inside and out.
Whether you’re a one-person catering business or a multi-location restaurant, you will have a dedicated account manager giving you personalised service, and the one technician or team of technicians carrying out your pest management service.
Step 3. We design an integrated pest management strategy
Once we thoroughly understand your business and its risk of harbouring pests, we design a strategy to eradicate any existing pests and prevent future infestation. A pest management strategy can include:
- Building and maintenance exclusion practices
- Advice on good prevention practices
- Pest inspections
- Physical control methods
- Chemical control methods
- Managing the surrounding environment
Step 4. We use PesTrak to keep you updated on progress
Our unique and proprietary PesTrak system allows clients to monitor the progress of their pest control and keep all information about their pest management on hand.
PesTrak is a bait station monitoring tool that shows you all your baiting activities in real-time, as well as a list of certificates for any chemicals used on-site and pest licenses, insurance, and certification details.
It allows our team to check up on your premises remotely in the event that you call us or we are automatically alerted that there is activity in one of the baiting stations using our PesTrak system. This allows us to take action if required.
In the chance that your premises is audited, you can rest assured that all your documents for compliance purposes exist all in the one platform and can be accessed anytime 24/7, 365 days a year.
Stay compliant with food service standards
Local and state governments regulate the foodservice industry, and state that you must keep all food areas free from pests, vermin, and contamination in order to stay compliant. Local council regularly monitor premises and are quick to take enforcement action if you don’t meet food safety standards. Penalties can include:
- Heavy fines up to $100,000
- Being ‘named and shamed’
- Having your business shut down
Fortunately, Statewide Pest Control has extensive knowledge and experience to keep you compliant with food service standards and regulations. We also understand your business, your customers, suppliers and etc and tailor the pest management service to suit both internal along with your customer requirements in terms of compliance and standards.
ISO compliant
If you need ISO compliance, we can adopt ISO standard pest management services within your premises to meet both internal and external requests. Our pest control strategies are compliant with your ISO accreditation.
HACCP certified
We are also able to apply HACCP standard pest management services and provide safe and effective pest control.
Other certified standards
If you require a custom standard, we accommodate to your request and can roll out a pest management solution to that satisfies both your internal and external pest management requirements.
Member of AEPMA
We are members of the Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association (AEPMA), which means we adhere to strict standards for insurance, licenses, and qualifications.
Common pests in food service businesses
Rodents
Rats and mice are commonly found in foodservice industries. They can enter your premises through gaps in the roof or walls, under doors, or come in on pallets of goods. They spread diseases, contaminate food and surfaces with their faeces, and gnaw through containers. In some cases, they can start electrical fires by gnawing through wiring. You will know if you have a rodent problem if you spot rat or mouse faeces, rub marks on the walls, or gnawing on containers. At the first sign of rodents, it’s essential to get a pest control professional in before they become a serious problem.
Cockroaches
Like rodents, cockroaches spread diseases and contaminate large amounts of food. They feed from sewers and garbage areas, collecting diseases that can cause serious illness like typhoid, hepatitis and tuberculosis.
While they are frequently attracted to foodservice businesses, cockroaches are not allowed under food safety regulations, and if they are spotted during an inspection, you can be hit with serious penalties.
Cockroaches are very fast breeders. The common rule is that for every cockroach you see, there are ten more hidden out of sight, so it’s essential you get the professionals in as soon as you spot one.
Stored product pests
Stored product pests are beetles, moths and weevils that get into containers of stored food. They are found in foods that have been processed in some way, such as pasta, flour, biscuits, cereals and processed meats.
Once you have an infestation, stored product pests can be tricky to manage, so it’s always best to get the professionals to deal with these.
Protect your business with the pest controllers you can trust
We know how important it is to keep pests out of your foodservice business. Statewide Pest Control has a well-resourced team that will go above and beyond to keep you protected. If you take the reputation of your business seriously, call us for a free audit.
Servicing Victoria
and the
Riverina region
CALL 1300 467 546