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Pests within premises are:
- Vectors of dangerous contamination
- The cause of costly depreciation
- Able to ruin your reputation
- Prohibited by legislation
In short, pests mean dirt, damage, and disease and cost you money.
Contamination
If you followed a fly for a day, you wouldn't eat for a week.
Insects, rodents and birds contaminate food, equipment and working surfaces with excreta, hairs or parts of themselves, giving rise to "foreign body" complaints by customers. Many such pests also carry bacteria, viruses, spores or parasites, which may be passed on to people in food or drink. Some also produce allergic reactions in susceptible individuals. Over forty pathogenic organisms have been isolated from cockroaches inside buildings. The dried droppings of pigeons and starlings may carry respiratory infections.
Depreciation
Pests can depreciate the value of your property and supplies.
Rats and mice have caused serious fires by gnawing the insulation from electrical cables, floods by puncturing pipes and even death by chewing holes in gas pipes. They can also ruin packaging, polystyrene insulation and finished goods in store. Insect infestation may cause the rejection of whole consignments of goods, the halting of production and the recall of products. Major contracts may be terminated if suppliers fail to meet hygiene standards laid down by their customers. Pigeons and starlings incur substantial cleaning costs to remove their nests and droppings, which are also reservoirs of insect infestation, and can block guttering and damage stonework.
Reputation
Your reputation and business may never recover.
Prosecutions and fines for pest-infested premises make headlines that cause customers to shop or dine elsewhere. Loss of business means loss of profits, sometimes leading to closure. Damaged confidence and lost goodwill are inevitably caused by media reports such as "The Hospital with Death for Lunch" or "Butcher fined £15,000".
Legislation
You are required by law to be pest free.
If you are a property owner the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 insists that you keep your premises free from rodents or report the infestation to your local authority if the rodents threaten health or property. If you are in the food business, the Act also includes insects and any vehicles used to transport food. The Food Safety Act 1990 and the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970 insist that food premises be kept, as pest free as is practicable. Failure to keep your premises pest free can result in their closure and penalties of up to a £20,000 fine for each offence or up to six months in prison for serious breaches. Suspension of the responsible manager from working with food for six months can also result.
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