Animals and Pests

This section will look at allowing and preventing animals from entering your premises as well as preventing pests from entering and harbouring on your premises.

Animals are not permitted in areas in which food is handled. This includes areas where food is prepared and stored.

Animals, if allowed in food handling or storage area, present a risk to the safety of food being stored, prepared or displayed. This may be through introducing pathogenic organisms or by physical contamination from hair, faeces or saliva.

All practical measures must be taken to prevent pests such as cockroaches, rats and mice from entering the premises, and, harbouring on the premises. Pests can carry disease and cause food borne illness.

• The best ways to prevent animals and pests from entering your premises is to make sure that all areas of the premises are properly constructed with no gaps in walls, floors or ceilings.
• Should any cracks appear, they should be immediately sealed so as to prevent the entry of pests.
• Where possible, the doors to the premises should be kept closed. Fly screening should be fitted to external doors and windows and maintained so as to ensure any holes which may allow flies or other insects to enter are repaired as soon as possible. Where necessary, vermin proof strips should be fitted to the base of all external doors.
• Where possible, the entrance to the premises should be provided with a self closing screen door, air curtain or other means to prevent the entry of flies.
• A ‘fly-zapper’ may also be used to eradicate flies. However, such device must be of a design that does not allow for spray of the fly carcass in areas in which food is handled.
• Certain preventative measures should be taken so as to prevent pests from harbouring on the premises.
• Such measures include:
  • Having a regular pest control program in place. Records should be kept of the company carrying out the pest control and the date of service.
  • Keeping the premises clean and all food sealed in vermin proof containers,
  • Removing waste regularly and keeping waste stored in appropriately designed areas which are also kept clean so as to not act as a food source for pests.