How to Control Pests
This course will offer tips for controlling pests in your restaurant by conducting a self-examination, hiring an exterminator and reducing the avenues for pests to infiltrate your operation.
National Restaurant Association How-To Series, October 2000

Section 1: Conducting a Self-Inspection
Section 2: Hiring an Exterminator
Section 3: Preventing Pests From Entering the Restaurant

Section 1: Conducting a Self-Inspection
The first step is to conduct a self-inspection to assess the state of your pest control. This step will help you discover problem areas in your restaurant and combat the problems quickly and effectively.

• Develop a pest-inspection checklist to help you conduct a thorough self-examination. The list should include: date and time of inspection, temperature outside and inside the restaurant, pests observed (cockroaches, mice, rats, flies, other), evidence of pests (droppings, egg cases, nesting materials, gnaw marks in building structure or food packaging, grease markings) and location of evidence, deficiencies in building structure or equipment (holes, leaks/standing water, broken equipment, cracks/crevices, screens, doors/windows tight fitting, other), sanitation (grease, food or water accumulations and location, garbage/trash receptacles clean/covered) and corrective actions taken.

• Create a map of your facility's interior and exterior layout so you can mark exactly where you found evidence of pests and where bait traps are placed.

• Bring a flashlight and mirror on your inspection to help you better identify problems.

• Conduct self-examinations on a monthly basis. Routine self-inspections reduce the need for a professional exterminator.

Although you have conducted an in-house inspection, you may still need to hire a professional exterminator.

Section 2: Hiring an Exterminator
Ask the following questions when selecting pest-control professional.

• How long has the company been in business and can it provide references?

• Does the company provide a "satisfaction guaranteed" clause?

• Does the company specialize in commercial treatments? If it does, how many restaurant accounts does it have?

• Will the company assign one technician or will it rotate your restaurant to different technicians?

• Does the company include written reports hat highlight sanitation, construction or other relevant deficiencies?

• Can you accompany the technician during visits?

• At what time are service calls usually made?

• What pretreatment and post-treatment precautions and preparations should the restaurant perform?

• What chemicals are involved? Will they contaminate food or preparation surfaces? Are they safe for a restaurant?

• Can the company provide Material Safety Data Sheets on the products used?

• What pests are covered in the service contract?

• How many service calls are included in the price?

• Are there additional charges when extra service is needed to eliminate a contracted pest?

• What areas of the restaurant are excluded from the contract?

• How fast can the technician arrive in case of emergency?

By interviewing pest-control companies before you have a problem, you can avoid a poor hiring decision made when time was of the essence.

In addition to conducting self-examinations and scheduling regular exterminator visits, there are steps you and your staff can take to reduce pest-related problems.

Section 3: Preventing Pests From Entering the Restaurant
Here are some suggestions for limiting the ways pests can infiltrate your establishment and for safely handling pesticides.

• Seal cracks in walls, floors or ceilings to keep out bugs.

• Clean establishment daily to remove food from crates and under equipment.

• Remove broken or unused equipment to avoid rodents or bugs from nesting in it. Equipment in use should be mounted off the floor for easy cleaning.

• Eliminate stagnant water outside your establishment to prevent attracting pests.

• Place trash receptacles near outside dining facilities so patrons can easily dispose of trash.

• Clean and cover trash receptacles and place them on cleanable material, such as concrete. Examine dumpsters to ensure the drain plug is in place-a common point of entry for rodents. Keep dumpsters' lids sealed and dumpsters away from restaurant entrances.

• Store insecticides away from other items in a locked, cool cabinet.

• Dispose of bags, bottles or cans as soon as they are empty.

• Do not pour leftover pesticides down the drain. Do not place pesticide containers in dumpsters.

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