How to open a new food business Pest Free

Opening a new food business such as a factory, restaurant, store or hotel is an opportunity to showcase your growing operations and you want to create the best impression to your customers, so opening your business 'pest free' is a great way to protect your customers and your brand.

By following these simple steps during during the building and fit out of your business you can ensure that you start with a pest free building that will also be easier to keep free of pests as you start operations.

1. Make the construction site a food free area

• provide a separate area away from your site where workers can take their meal breaks

• prohibit all food from the building site and enforce this rule throughout the build and fit out

2. Start your pest control contract as soon as works starts on the site

• treat the ground-works to suppress any existing infestation

• carry our routine spraying as the building progresses

• monitor for any signs of pest during the build

3. Involve your pest control contractor in the design stage

• avoid any inaccessible voids in the structure by providing access points for treatment

• build pipes into the foundations to allow treatment of sub-floor spaces (often known as Termite Pipes - see photo below)

• design-in pest proofing measures such as window screens, tight fitting doors, sealed eaves and roof voids

• in mall developments, ensure the party walls to adjoining businesses are pest-proof

4. Maintain a litter free site

• employ a cleaner to remove litter at the end of each working day

• remove any discarded card and wrapping from building materials to reduce harbourage

By following these four simple steps throughout the opening process, you will open a pest free operation that is also designed to keep out pests and allow for effective preventative treatment