In the UK, there are no specific regulations that state that you need to get commercial pest control services from a professional pest control company. However, there are multiple laws that require you to keep your property safe and hygienic.
As a leading provider of commercial pest control across Southend, Chelmsford, Billericay, Basildon and throughout Essex for restaurants, schools, landlords and more, Essex Pest Proof understands the importance of compliance with relevant laws. That’s why we’ve put together this guide.
The Main UK Pest Control Legislation
As mentioned, there is no specific legislation that requires your business to get professional pest control, but there are several pest control regulations that require your business to stay pest-free and hygienic. To ensure full compliance, adequate pest control measures from pest control businesses like Essex Pest Proof are crucial.
The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949
One of the most important pest control regulations, The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 requires business owners to work with local authorities to prevent rats and mice, along with other pests, in their area. Commercial property managers need to notify their local council of large infestations and use effective pest control measures to get rid of infestations.
Food Safety Act 1990
The foundational legal framework for all food legislation in England, Wales, and Scotland, The Food Safety Act 1990 requires any business that stores or serves food to use preventative measures to ensure vermin, particularly stored product insects and rodents, can access and contaminate food. Not just for food premises, the Act is important for any site that stores, sells or handles food products.
Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013
Working alongside the Food Safety Act, the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 extends the Act’s provisions to include keeping properties in good repair to avoid accidentally providing harbourage. The aim is to stop pests from contaminating food and gaining access to it to reduce the potential spread of disease and germs.
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
All businesses need to comply with The Health And Safety At Work etc. Act 1974, which gives companies a statutory duty to protect staff and visitors from health and safety issues, including pests. Vermin can spread diseases and parasites, and some species, like rats and mice, can chew through wires and cause a fire hazard. As such, preventing these pests is crucial to ensuring you give your staff a safe working environment.
The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986
For businesses thinking of carrying out in-house pest treatments, The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 covers the storage and usage of pest control products, including insecticides, rodenticides and other chemicals used to control pests. There are strict conditions for use of any pesticides to protect public health and local habitats. As such, working with experienced pest control providers like Essex Pest Proof can save you a lot of effort and ensure full compliance with pesticide regulations.
The Environmental Protection Act 1990
Under the The Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities can issue abatement notices to property owners if they have a pest infestation, and failure to comply and remove the vermin can result in fines. The Act also sets out waste management rules, and stored waste that attracts pests is an offence.
The Wildlife And Countryside Act 1981
While not specifically about pest control, The Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 is designed to protect wildlife and habitats. For commercial companies, the Act’s provision on protecting wild birds is particularly relevant, as bird species, including feral pigeons, gulls and other pest birds, cannot be harmed, killed or have their nests removed without a license. As such, if birds nest on your commercial property, they will need to be left until the young have flown the nest. This can take several weeks or even months, during which time birds can cause extensive damage. Bird droppings can be highly corrosive and spread diseases, making birds particularly dangerous for food businesses. With the right pest management contract in place, bird control solutions can be put in place to reduce the risk of nuisance birds.
How Does Commercial Pest Control Help With Compliance?
Commercial pest control services from experts like Essex Pest Proof can help reduce the chances of future pest problems by providing regular risk assessments and putting preventative measures in place to reduce the chances of vermin.
With a pest control contract from Essex Pest Proof, your business can get regular site visits from our fully-qualified and insured pest control technicians, who can use the principals of Integrated Pest Management to limit the chances of pest species gaining access to your space.
After every visit, our team can provide pest control reports to show any potential risks we’ve found, any live pest sightings and any proofing or control methods we’ve used to prevent pest entry. As a result, your business will have a significantly lower chance of dealing with vermin, which will ensure ongoing compliance with all relevant health and safety laws.
By choosing a local firm with extensive training and experience, you can ensure that the pest control activities carried out on your premises are fully compliant with all environmental protection and pesticide regulations, protecting public health, the local environment and your organisation.
Why Is Commercial Pest Control Important?
As well as ensuring compliance with relevant laws, working with commercial pest controllers like Essex Pest Proof to control pests and reduce the pest risk on your premises also offers many other benefits, including:
- Saving Your Reputation: In the age of social media and smartphones, just one sighting of vermin can turn into a major disaster. A video or image can be shared on the internet and cause significant reputation damage that can be impossible to recover from, which is why pest prevention is always crucial for businesses of all types.
- Protecting Public Health: Pests and pest droppings can spread diseases, which could affect the entire community, including your family and friends, as well as customers and staff.
- Preventing Property Damage: Vermin can cause significant structural damage, which could lead to site shutdowns and expensive repairs. Preventing pests from gaining access to your space can limit the damage they can cause.
- Reducing Long-Term Costs: While commercial pest control comes with an initial cost, effective pest control measures will save you money in the long run. That’s because you will reduce potential fines for non-compliance and the cost of ruined stock or structural damage to your commercial premises.
Industry Standards For Pest Control Providers
For pest control companies like Essex Pest Proof, these pest control regulations are essential knowledge. To ensure that we understand the laws and can provide the best possible service to our clients, there are several industry standards and governing bodies that we abide by and work alongside, including:
- The British Pest Control Association: The leading governing body for pest controllers, the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) promotes a high standard of professionalism among its members. That’s why Essex Pest Proof are proud to be BPCA members, and we make the most of the support, training and guidance available through the organisation.
- TrustMark: TrustMark is a Government-endorsed quality scheme to ensure that when you let someone onto your premises, you know you’re working with trusted professionals. Essex Pest Proof is proud to be TrustMark Approved.
- The Royal Society for Public Health: An independent charity, the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) offers qualifications to help pest control providers to ensure public health and safety. Essex Pest Proof are RSPH level 2 certified, allowing us to safely remove pests and use pesticides that aren’t available to the general public.
Choose Essex Pest Proof For Your Commercial Pest Control Services
If you’re based in Essex and need commercial pest control, Essex Pest Proof is here to help. Our team have worked with many commercial premises over the years, supporting a range of businesses and organisations, including local authorities, as evidenced in our Bed Bug Case Study.
With our help, you can reduce the risks of a future pest problem, and deal with one if it does appear. Our friendly team can assist with the removal of all common pests, including rats, mice, squirrels, ants, bed bugs, cockroaches, fleas, moths, wasps and even nuisance birds.
Additionally, we can provide licensed waste removal, drain surveys, and pest proofing to keep unwanted visitors away for good.
So, if you need a partner to meet all your commercial pest control needs, contact us on 01702 540 345 or email info@essexpestproof.co.uk to book a site survey.
