Understanding a general contractors role in food safety and prevention.
This article titled, ‘Pest Control’s Critical Role in Food Safety’ from Food Processing Magazine does a good job of outlining the importance of pest control in food process facilities. Naturally, food safety is compromised when rodents, insects, birds, etc. enter or infest a food processing facility; and the thought is not appealing to anyone. However, it is a real concern given the fact that the facility has food, warmth, and shelter – everything pests need to survive. It’s important that food processing facilities focus on pest control prevention rather than reaction. Ultimately though things happen and if there is an infestation, you must react as early as it’s detected. Once detected working with a qualified, food-certified contractor to help remedy the situation.
This is where a certified contractor is worth its weight in gold. General contractors and design-build firms that have certifications in Safe Quality Food (SQF) by the Safe Quality Food Institute and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) by SGS, as well as versed and experienced in the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), offer the best option for food process facilities to ensure the environment remains uncontaminated. Both the SQF and HACCP certifications increase contractors brief of understanding of food safety and prevention issues as it’s associated with working in a food processing facilities. These certifications help circumvent issues that might arise if a contractor doesn’t have this same knowledge.
At Galbraith Pre-Design we know what to look for when it comes to pest control, and we know how to fix and prevent deficiencies based on our vast knowledge and certifications in food safety. We always conduct walk-through inspections of food and beverage facilities, looking for pest control issues where they relate to building infrastructure. As outlined in this article, top hot spots for rodents are lines (wires, pipes, beams), places that have shadows, warm spots and quiet or voided areas of a facility. When we work with clients if the facility already has a pest control report provided to them by their pest control provider we work with clients to fix the deficiencies noted.
When Galbraith Pre-Design conducts a facility walk-through we look for items such as missing or deteriorated door seals, improperly operating doors, cracks in walls, cracks in floors, damaged window screens, improperly operating windows, roof penetrations, louvers, and vents; the list is endless. If we find any of these items, we note the deficiencies, providing us and our clients with the knowledge of how to the correct the problem with a permanent solution.
You can call on us, like many food process facilities do, to conduct preventative inspections and make preventative repairs. After all, is the risk of rodent and pest problems really worth it?
Vice President/Owner,
Galbraith Pre-Design
As co-owner of Galbraith/Pre-Design, Inc., Mark Galbraith is responsible for the construction of commercial facilities in nine states. Continuing his family’s tradition of commercial and industrial construction in south central Pennsylvania and beyond, Mark’s experience includes site analysis and selection, pre-construction services, field engineering and project management.
