Any beginner who is looking to perform any pest control activity must be completely aware of at least the basics of IPM or Integrated Pest Management, which is a multifaceted approach. IPM is an environmentally conscious approach, not just for pest control. It also includes managing weeds and the diseases it can cause. Pest infestation is something that should not be taken lightly. Otherwise, people working or living in the same building or home will become at risk of leptospirosis, respiratory problems, and food contamination, to name a few. Therefore, one should take the necessary steps right away as soon as the signs of infestation are spotted. However, if you are a beginner and don’t have any idea where to start, don’t fret. Below is a step by step procedure of pest control which you can use to get you started.
Step 1: Schedule regular inspections.
Conducting regular inspections are crucial to pest management. The routine inspections must be conducted in areas where infestations are most likely to occur. If the issue is rat control, inspections must be done in storage areas, the kitchen, areas where food spillage usually occurs, pantry, and employee break rooms. The house or building must be thoroughly checked for any potential entry points or areas where food and water feed the pests.
Step 2: Know how to prevent infestation.
By conducting regular inspections, you will be able to discover vulnerabilities that could possibly trigger the onset of an infestation. The sooner you discover the presence of rats, the sooner you can find solutions as well. Make sure that exclusion is done right away as one of the preventative measures that should be taken. To do this, structural maintenance must be performed so that potential entry points will be covered immediately. When rats and other pests are kept outside the building, the need for chemical countermeasures will also be reduced.
Step 3: Make an analysis of why pests exist in your home or facility.
Now that you have closed entry points, and have conducted regular inspections, make an analysis regarding the reason why rats or other pests exist in your home or facility. Check for the presence of food debris and other substances that could attract these pests in your area. It is also important to identify the presence of odors, which can also trigger the presence of pests.
Step 4: Choosing the right treatment method.
Integrated Pest Management emphasizes the importance of using non-chemical pest control methods first before resorting to chemical treatment. Once exclusion, baiting, and trapping have been done, but pests continue to infest the area, one should call on the professionals who can handle the chemical treatment for pest control. The same thing should also be done when other control methods fail to control pests or were found inappropriate for the situation. Pest management must also be left in the hands of pest control experts if the severity of pest infestation is too much for a beginner to handle. When it comes to pest management, using the right chemicals at the right time, and the right place is very crucial. Besides, the type of pest control that will be applied will also largely depend on the type of pest, the nature of the infestation, and the scope of the infestation.
Step 5: Conduct consistent monitoring.
Pest management entails constant monitoring of the area or facility where the infestation took place. If there is a need to make operational changes, then it has to be done to ensure that an infestation will no longer recur. Although pest control technicians will be able to visit your area on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, you need to have someone else in your home or in your facility, which will conduct regular monitoring. Everyone should serve as the eyes of the pest management program. This way, you will not be able to lose a day in quickly detecting any signs of pest infestation recurrence.
Step 6: Increase awareness of sanitation issues.
Pest control management not only includes regular inspection and constant monitoring. It also involves increased awareness and proper implementation of sanitation measures. Cleanliness in the kitchen or all areas of the house or facility must be observed at all times. This way, pests will no longer have a reason to enter your premises.
Step 7: Take proper documentation.
If pest infestation takes place in a business establishment, know that food safety auditors will be visiting your place to conduct an inspection. When you take proper documentation of all matters involved in your pest control management, you will have something credible that you will be able to show to the food safety auditors. This a must if you want your business to remain operational without the need to pay for penalties for not dealing with pest control properly.
Pest control is not just a one-time job. Most of the time, it is a complex and time-consuming process. But, as soon as you have learned the proper steps of pest control and have familiarized the entire process, it will soon become a less daunting task. Precautionary measures should not be ignored when dealing with pests.