5 Ways to Lose Points on Your Audit

With vast amounts of product coming in and out of your facility daily, food safety is a top concern - and you don’t want pests breaking and entering to threaten that safety. Pest invaders are not only a nuisance, but can cause product loss, reputation damage for your business and deductions during a third-party audit.

Pest control is an important part of every major food safety audit, accounting for up to 20 percent of a total score. Be on the lookout for five common – but avoidable – ways you could lose points on your next audit:

• Keep track of all service changes. After a contract is signed, it’s easy to overlook additions to the contract and changes in service. Be sure to document all changes that change the scope of the original signed contract as your IPM program evolves over time.

• Annual pest control review. Your pest management provider should perform annual assessments of your facility. Maintaining up-to-date pest management reports and documentation that show auditors that your program is responsive to changing conditions at your facility.

• The proof is in the training. Documentation of proper training for pest control professionals should not be a missing piece of your pest management plan. Be sure to keep certifications on-site for each person who performs any pest management service.

• Corroborate your documentation. Make sure all recorded pest sightings have corresponding documentation of corrective actions taken. Having one piece without the other could be bad news when auditors come knocking.

• Record the issues: big and small. From insect light traps for flies to complex bait systems for rodents, all activity must be recorded. Be sure your records include three key components – service performed to traps and monitoring systems, findings of that service and corrective actions taken.

Audits can make or break your facility, and a poor score can have consequences that ripple through your business. To make sure your facility scores all the points during your next audit, follow these steps as you prepare.