Is Your Pest Control Program Ready for an Audit and Compliant with BRC Standards?

Running a food industry business means strict adherence to safety and hygiene standards. One critical area often overlooked is pest control. If your pest prevention program isn’t audit-ready or compliant with BRC standards, you risk costly non-conformances, damaged reputation and loss of supplier confidence. Are you confident your current pest control measures will pass an audit? If not, it’s time to take action.

Why Pest Control Compliance Matters in the Food Industry

Pests pose serious risks to food safety. Contamination from rodents, insects, or birds can lead to product recalls, health hazards, and legal penalties. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) Global Standard for Food Safety sets clear requirements for pest control programs to protect consumers and businesses alike.

Failing to meet BRC standards can result in:

• Audit failures and loss of certification

• Increased risk of contamination and product recalls

• Damage to brand reputation and customer trust

• Financial losses from fines and operational disruptions

  
  

Ensuring your pest control program aligns with BRC standards is not just about passing audits; it’s about safeguarding your business and customers.

Common Challenges in Pest Control Programs

Many food businesses struggle with pest control due to:

• Inconsistent monitoring and record-keeping

• Lack of trained personnel or specialist knowledge

• Ineffective pest prevention measures

• Poor integration with overall food safety management systems

  
  

These gaps often lead to non-conformances during audits. For example, missing documentation of pest sightings or failure to act on pest activity can trigger audit failures.

How Compliance Pest Control Can Help Your Business

If you’re worried about your current pest control program, Compliance Pest Control offers specialist support tailored to the food industry. Their expertise covers BRC standards as well as other schemes like SALSA, STS, and Red Tractor.

We provide:

• Free assessment and survey of your existing pest control systems

• Identification of non-conformances and risk areas

• Recommendations to improve compliance and effectiveness

• Ongoing support to maintain audit readiness

  
  

By partnering with experts, you can reduce the risk of audit failures and potentially save money by avoiding costly pest-related issues.

Practical Steps to Prepare Your Pest Control Program for Audit

To get your pest control program audit-ready, consider these practical actions:

• Conduct regular inspections of all food production and storage areas

• Keep detailed records of pest sightings, treatments, and corrective actions

• Train staff on pest awareness and reporting procedures

• Use appropriate pest control methods that comply with food safety regulations

• Review and update your pest control plan regularly to reflect changes in operations or risks

• Engage a specialist

  
  

These steps help demonstrate your commitment to pest prevention and compliance during audits.

Understanding BRC Pest Control Requirements

The BRC Global Standard requires businesses to have a documented pest control program that includes:

• Risk assessments identifying potential pest entry points and attractants

• Preventive measures such as physical barriers and hygiene controls

• Monitoring systems with traps, monitors and inspections

• Corrective actions when pest activity is detected

• Records of all pest control activities and outcomes

  
  

Meeting these requirements shows auditors that your business actively manages pest risks.

Beyond BRC: Other Food Safety Schemes

If your business also follows SALSA, STS, or Red Tractor standards, pest control compliance remains crucial. Each scheme has specific pest control expectations, but all emphasise prevention, monitoring, and documentation.

Compliance Pest Control’s experience with these schemes means they can tailor their advice to your certification needs, ensuring your pest control program meets multiple standards efficiently.

Final Thoughts on Pest Control and Audit Readiness

A strong pest control program is essential for food safety and audit success. If you have doubts about your current system, don’t wait for an audit to reveal problems. A free assessment from Compliance Pest Control can identify weaknesses and help you fix them before they impact your business.

Taking proactive steps today protects your products, customers, and reputation. Contact Compliance Pest Control to ensure your pest control program is fully compliant and ready for any audit.

Next step: Schedule your free pest control assessment and secure your business’s future.