Detailed Documentation: A Recipe For Success

An audit score is like a cake – with the right ingredients and attention to detail, the results can be spectacular. Of course, making a cake is not usually a do-or-die task, but performing well on an audit can be. A bad audit score can lead to a loss of customers and integrity. The key to a successful audit is preparation, and for a bakery, preparation means keeping pest control documentation up-to-date and accurate.

A bakery's pest management program is especially important during an audit because pests threaten food safety. In fact, pest control accounts for up to 20 percent of most major food safety audits. If a bakery fails the pest control portion of the audit, it could fail the entire audit.

Auditors pay a lot of attention to a bakery's pest control documentation during an inspection. They expect accurate records that evidence a thorough program focused on pest prevention through regular inspections, effective treatments and corrective actions. And while the auditor will inspect other components of the pest control program, such as bait station placement and evidence of pest activity, detailed documentation alone can lead to higher audit scores.

Follow the Recipe Carefully
Accurate and up-to-date service records, which outline the work performed during each pest control service visit, are a key ingredient in pest control documentation. At a minimum, service records should include the name and signature of the individual conducting the service, the services rendered and the date.

Auditors will also review the bakery's pesticide usage log to ensure that all treatments used are EPA-approved and responsibly applied. The pesticide usage log should include records of:

• Targeted pests
  
• Materials used (which should be appropriate for each target pest)
  
• Amounts, locations, frequency and methods of application
  
• Dates and times of treatments
  
• Applicator's signature
  
• Sample MSDS labels for all materials applied

Auditors also require up-to-date maps and schematics showing where all pest control devices, including mechanical traps, bait stations, glue boards, pheromone traps and insect light traps, are located inside and around the facility. One of the most common deductions on audits stems from device maps that do not reflect the current locations of pest control traps and bait stations.

Some auditors will look for trend logs that track pest activity throughout the bakery and corrective action reports that record recommendations and resolutions of past pest control issues. In any case, a bakery must have a copy of the pest control professional's certification, license and insurance information on hand at all times.

Taste Test
As any baker knows, following a recipe to perfection may not be enough to ensure a great cake. The real "taste test" for a bakery is the mock audit. Every few months, bakeries should undergo a mock audit by their pest management professionals to verify that all documentation is up-to-date and in a central location and that the pest control program as a whole is audit-ready. This practice will help identify weaknesses prior to the third party audit. In the end, the proof of an excellent pest control program will be in the cake (and in the final audit score).

Dr. Zia Siddiqi is Quality Assurance Director for Orkin, Inc. A Board Certified Entomologist with more than 30 years in the industry, Dr. Siddiqi is an acknowledged leader in the field of pest management.