Is your restaurant at risk of failing your next Eat Safe Brisbane inspection due to a hidden pest infestation? We have all heard of popular venues being fined or even forced to close due to an outbreak. Not to mention the financial and reputational damage that can bring a food business to its knees. So how can you prevent your restaurant from falling victim to an infestation that could strip you of your hard earned Eat Safe Brisbane star rating? We will talk you through your obligations regarding pests and how you can ensure you remain compliant.
What is the Eat Safe Brisbane Rating?
While the mandatory Eat Safe Brisbane star rating managed by the Brisbane City Council aims to improve food safety compliance, the bottom line is it can be a real pain to navigate for busy business owners. However, it is important to note that all Queensland food businesses need a food business licence to legally operate and there is no getting round it. The good news is you can improve your star rating at any time and access benefits and discounts for complying with the guidelines.
Achieving a high Eat Safe Brisbane star rating can be achieved by following the Eat Safe guidelines, fact sheets and checklist. You can run your own test audit for your food business using the food safety industry checklist. The checklist, along with the guidelines and fact sheets, show what you need to comply with the Food Act 2006 and Food Safety Standards.
When you apply for a food business licence, an Environmental Health Officer from the Council will audit and assess all food safety risks and food safety practices and procedures in your business to calculate your star rating. The higher your star rating, the higher your discounts for renewals. You are also subject to fewer inspections because you have shown that you are conducting a safe business.
How Does the Eat Safe Brisbane Rating Affect Pest Control?
If you are a cafe, restaurant or other food business, Food Standards Australia requires you to keep food safe and protected from pests and the harmful microorganisms they can carry. Unfortunately, all the conditions that naturally attract pests are often found around Brisbane commercial districts bustling with food service premises.
Under Standard 3.2.2 – Food Safety Practices and General Requirements, your business must do everything it reasonably can to prevent pest problems. This means:
- pests are stopped from entering or living in your food premises
- pests are eradicated from your premises and vehicles used to transport food
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How Can Working with Brisbane City Pest Control Help Improve Your Eat Safe Brisbane Rating?
When you are already busy running your own business, the last thing you need to worry about is taking on the job of pest control. Not only are the risks too high regarding contamination from insecticides and poisons but the time it takes to investigate and treat the problem will take you away from your core business.
Instead, we recommend collaborating with a licensed pest control professional that can develop a pest management plan for your business. The plan should cover:
- the types of restaurant pests and treatments to be used
- areas that need inspection and treatment (e.g. behind appliances and equipment, inside wall cavities and cupboards, under and inside boxes and packaging)
- locations of pest control devices and pesticides. A site map should identify where devices and pesticides are located
- how often inspections and treatments need to be completed – this will depend on the location, climate, food activities, type of pests and activity. Regular inspections and treatments will ensure expired pesticides are not used and baits are replaced or reset, and dead pests are removed
By hiring a Brisbane pest control professional, you can ensure that only pesticides approved for use in food premises and include safety and expiry information are used. It is a good idea to keep reports of any pest inspections and treatments done. The report from the professional pest controller should include dates, the type of pest activity, chemicals/controls used and recommended actions.
Don’t Let Pests Ruin Your Rating
Nobody enjoys that heart-stopping feeling when they spot a mouse or cockroach. You want to see your business in the news for all the right reasons and that should not include a pest outbreak. Making pest control a priority in your operational plan is a proactive step you can take to increase your chances of securing a high Eat Safe Brisbane rating. Plus, the initial investment in hiring a professional restaurant pest controller will be offset by reduced council fees and less downtime for your business.
We offer commercial pest control clients comprehensive pest prevention plans with treatments designed to keep those pesky pests away from your business in the first place. We operate discretely and pride ourselves on working closely with clients to swiftly solve pest problems and prevent reinfestations.
Contact Brisbane City Pest Control today to discuss your businesses pest control needs.