Restaurants in the Summer Months

It is the summer, and we in the UK are experiencing hot weather at the moment. This can inspire great joy and presents many opportunities for leisure. Weather of this nature, with high temperatures, encourages friends and families to dine out at restaurants in greater numbers than is usually the case. Refreshment is sought when people are encouraged by improvements in their overall mood by the increase in sunlight and ambient temperature. This results in a higher risk of the transmission of disease to customers simply by virtue of the upsurge in business. From the perspective of restaurant patrons and managers, whether they are relatively new to the trade, or even if they are highly experienced, it is worth taking a moment to remind yourselves about common sense legal requirements pertaining to pest control for your business.

The importance of pest control to work environments involving the preparation, serving and waste management of food cannot be underestimated. Pests have the capacity to carry harmful bacteria that can contaminate foods and food products and cause illness. Such harmful bacteria can be transmitted to food resulting in contamination by contact with the hair, faeces and urine of pests. It is also well worth taking into consideration the fact that pests can cause serious damage to the fabric and structure of food serving premises.

By ‘pests’ here we include the following animals and birds: rats, mice and other rodents; insects such as flies, cockroaches, beetles, ants, wasps, bees and other creatures that might be found in stored products; birds, such as pigeons, starlings, sparrows, crows and seagulls.

The risk posed by such creatures to your food serving business can be greatly reduced when you engage Key West to implement measures that will help pest-proof the structure and fabric of your commercial premises. At Key West, we believe that prevention is the most effective route to take, and are experts in the provision of preventative measures. Such measures are contrived with the overall aim of ensuring that your commercial premises are in good condition and repair such that access to pests is restricted and the opportunity to provide potential breeding sites is greatly reduced. We would take measures such as the use of wire mesh screens to pest proof air vents, the sealing of holes and other access areas, providing the advice, where it is needed, that floors, walls, roof, doors and window openings are in a good state of repair and devoid of gaps and spaces. We would also advise on the fitting of covers on drains in order to prevent access.

We know, and we make restaurant owners aware that windows that open directly into areas in which the preparation of food is carried out must be fitted with screens capable of resisting common flying insects – ideally the apertures in the screens ought to be 2mm square or less. We know that screens must also be removable in order to allow for cleaning. We know that doors open to the outside air must also be fitted with such screens.

In addition, at Key West, we can advise on the correct and compliant use of electronic fly-killing devices, their maintenance and cleaning. We have the expert knowledge to advise on the inspection of perishable stock and food products and how to recognise whether stock has visible signs of damage. We know how to maintain the cleanliness and protective measures required for refuse stores. We can advise and help you plan procedures to ensure that foods awaiting preparation, being defrosted, or undergoing a process of cooling must remain covered.

At Key West, we are able to produce ongoing compliant pest prevention plans for your food serving business that ensures the correct measures are undertaken for the containment of food waste and the frequency of its removal. We will factor into your plan the necessary procedures to ensure that food is stored off the floor and away from walls, in rodent proof containers. We can advise on how vegetation around the exterior of your commercial premises ought to be kept to a minimum.

In the food industry, especially on premises which involve food production and preparation, it is crucial that surfaces are kept clean and highly hygienic and the presence of pests is indeed unacceptable. Key West's network of local technicians covering the UK and Ireland provide tailored commercial pest control services and provide advice on best practice and what business owners should be doing in order to comply with legislation.

According to the 1990 Food Hygiene Regulations, the “walls, floors, doors, windows, ceiling, woodwork and all other parts of the structure of every food room shall be kept clean and shall be kept in good order, repair and condition as to prevent so far as reasonably practical the entry of birds, and any risk of infestation by rats, mice, insects and other pests”. In short, in order to make sure that your business complies with requirements described by the Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 you need to do your utmost to uphold the highest food hygiene standards and prevent pest contamination.

Section 21 of the Food Safety Act 1990 allows anyone who may be facing legal action to use the defence of “due diligence” during the proceedings. Due diligence is taken into account and you can defend yourself by proving that you have taken all reasonable precautions to avoid the offence being committed.

Engaging the services of Key West Pest Control for your restaurant of food service business means that we will devise a plan for the maintenance of preventative measures, we will monitor your commercial premises with regularity, reports will be written on the well-being of your commercial premises from the perspective of pest control, and corrective action will be carried out if it is required.