A food business cannot afford to wait and see. For cafes and pubs on Carrington's parades, a simple routine of checks and records goes a long way.
Environmental health officers expect food premises to take reasonable steps to keep pests out. That means evidence: records of visits, a survey, notes on what was found and what was done. A kitchen with no sign of pests is good, but a kitchen with clear documentation that pests are being monitored is better, because it shows a system rather than luck.
Mice and rats are drawn by waste and storage areas. Cockroaches like warm kitchens and damp corners. Flies follow bins and drains, and stored product insects can turn up in dry goods. In older buildings, ducts, cellars and shared walls provide the routes.
Carrington is an inner suburb of Victorian terraces and villas near Mansfield Road, and many food businesses operate from older converted premises rather than purpose-built units. Back yards, cellar storage, shared passages and neighbouring properties all feed into the pest picture.
Our commercial division offers free surveys and a free written inspection report, which records what we found and what we recommend. You can then decide whether a regular programme suits your premises.
Visits can be arranged at quiet times so that service is not disrupted. Programme frequency depends on the size of the premises, the type of food handled and the building's condition.
Tell your staff what to look for and who to ring. A mouse in the dry store on a Friday night is much easier to deal with if someone notices the droppings on Saturday morning and calls. Take a photograph, keep any droppings for the technician and avoid moving equipment until a visit has been arranged.
Staff are your early warning system. Take five minutes at the start of a shift to show new employees what droppings look like and where to report them. Cleaning rotas should include the awkward places, such as under shelving, behind the fryer and around floor drains, because that is where pests nest and where an inspector will look.
Where waste is shared with neighbouring businesses, agree who is responsible for the bins and who cleans round them, so that no one assumes it is someone else's job.
Review the log with your team monthly so patterns, such as repeated sightings by one door, are spotted early.
Call 0115 937 5117 and we will book a free survey of your premises.
It depends on the premises, the building and the risk. Many food businesses choose regular visits. A free survey will recommend a frequency based on what is found on site.
It records what was found, where, and what is recommended, such as proofing or housekeeping changes. It can be kept with your food safety records and shown to an inspector if needed.
Tell us what you have seen and where, and we will come back to you. Prices are fixed and there is no call-out charge.
