How to Prepare for your Next Audit

Third-party food safety audits are a serious matter for food processing facilities. Just one low score can drive companies that purchase your products to lose trust in your business. With so much riding on a good score, it’s important to understand how to be audit-ready. (To learn more about the newest audit-related changes you’re facing as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act, download our special report.)

Did you know pest control plays a significant role in every major food safety audit? It can account for up to 20 percent of your total score.

And achieving a high pest control score doesn’t happen overnight. You must make pest control a daily focus by implementing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, and supplement those efforts with extensive and accurate documentation.

There are some steps you can take though, starting about a week ahead of your audit, to help set your facility up for success.

One Week Prior to Your Audit:

Complete these steps with your pest control provider.

1. Review the specific auditor’s requirements.
2. Review on-site documentation to ensure all required documents are up-to-date and accessible.
3. Walk the interior of the facility to ensure all pest control devices are properly placed, labeled and meet auditor requirements.
4. Walk the exterior of the facility to ensure all pest control devices are properly placed, labeled and meet auditor requirements. Pay special attention to rodent and bird control equipment.

24-hours Prior to Your Audit:

1. Review the interior and exterior of the facility to ensure everything is clean and all evidence of pest activity has been eliminated.

To help prepare your facility for an outstanding pest control score, download and complete our free Plant Manager’s Pre-Audit Checklist. The checklist includes a detailed breakdown of the steps above. And for a full look at how the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) impacts your audit preparation, download our free FSMA Special Report.

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