Meat+Poultry - October 2018 - 66

FOOD SAFETY

Proper dumpster use and maintenance are crucial to successful pest exclusion,
while interior and exterior traps capture pests and provide insight about their behavior.

66

MEAT+ POULTRY | 10.18 | www.meatpoultry.com

soda in there, then we get food that
may have broken up because of the
vending process. So, vending machines
can definitely harbor pests. You also
have a motor in the vending machine,
so there's a warm spot. And if there's
any kind of liquids or anything like that
that's been spilled, that can be very
susceptible to German cockroaches
and other pests, such as ants."

RODENT SEASON
Pests will migrate in the fall months
when temperatures start falling and
staying lower. Hottel says many types
of insects will overwinter in structures
and that rodents especially deserve
focus in the fall.
"This pest can be more problematic
in certain locations due to fall harvests,
especially when facilities are in rural
areas," Hottel says. "Previous rodent
history and trends can help alert
plants to their risk. It is critical that
facilities make sure exclusionary
efforts are in place and exterior
monitoring and control devices are
functioning correctly."
Facilities should start with the same
strategy used for insects, exclusion,
as the first defense against rodents.
Spaces where light can get in are large
enough for mice and sometimes for
rats. Maintenance crews must make

sure doors and openings close all
the way and make the tightest seal
possible. But just as important is not to
attract rodents to the facility.
"You don't want to have a lot of
pipes and things laying around on the
outside that can harbor rats and mice,"
McCoy says.
Facilities need their dumpsters at
least 100 ft. away from the building,
according to McCoy, and they need to
rest on a concrete pad. The concrete
pad provides a cleanable surface in
which spillage cannot seep into the
ground to attract rodents, but also acts
as a deterrent to burrowing.

EMPLOYEE EDUCATION
McCoy includes employee education as
one of the best ways to prevent pests
at food processing facilities. Keeping
employees aware of their behavior and
how it affects pest management makes
a big difference in environments where
pests cause problems.
McCoy suggests pest management
training about once a year, usually
about 20 or 30 minutes in April or
May, that focuses on basics such
as not propping open doors and an
overall awareness of pest behavior and
how the employees can take simple
measures to avoid bringing bugs into
the facility unknowingly.

Wil-Kil Pest Control; McCloud Pest Control

food and shelter pests find in these
areas make regular cleanings a top
priority, but other areas need attention
beyond the attraction of food.
"Because some insects can also
be attracted to a structure's lights,
facility managers should consider using
lights with reduced attraction," Hottel
says. "Additionally, mounting lights on
poles directed toward the building are
recommended over structure-mounted
lights. Mercury and halogen lights are
more attractive than sodium vapor
lights. In fact, mercury lights can be
112 times more attractive to insects
compared to sodium vapor lights. LEDs
also can reduce the number of insects
drawn to a structure."
Once insects find their way into a
facility, management and employees
must all take the necessary measures
to eradicate and prevent future entry.
McCoy says food processing facilities
typically have area clean outs roughly
once a month in which everything
is removed from locker areas,
breakrooms, etc., and appliances like
refrigerators and microwave ovens are
given thorough cleanings. And anyplace
where food and beverage items might
spill and leave residue are susceptible.
"One thing that's typically
overlooked is the vending machines,"
McCoy says. "We get broken cans of
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