Commercial Pest Control Legislation
There are several pieces of legislation that deal with pests and pest prevention. Which in each industry is governed by its own set of health, safety and hygiene rules. They affect businesses whether they handle food or not and our experienced specialists at GoKill Manchester Pest Control can help ensure you comply with the law. The treatments and advice that we provide are to help prevent the risk of prosecution and working safely to minimise any risks to your business.
The legislation listed below is enforced by agencies such as Environmental Health Departments of Local Authorities and the Health and Safety Executive. If you do not comply with these pieces of legislation you may receive substantial penalties, dependent on the offence committed.
Prevention of Damage by Pests Act
If a pest is present in a business that is involved in the storage, manufacture, transport, or sale of food, by law the owner must take steps to control the infestation or notify the Local Authority.
Penalties include:
Improvement Notices
Recovery of expenses incurred by the Local Authority
Food Safety Act
Businesses or organisations that are involved in the manufacturing, processing, storage, distribution, preparation, packaging or the selling of food, must ensure that all food is acceptable for human consumption. It is an offence to supply, sell, advertise or be in possession of food that is not.
Premises must be kept in good condition, be hygienically clean and be clear and free from rubbish as that conditions will deter pests. Food and food products must be well stored, thus preventing them from being damaged, contaminated and consumed by pests.
Penalties include:
- Improvement notices.
- Prohibition orders to close premises.
- Seizure of unfit food.
- Disqualification from catering for up to two years.
- Fines of up to £5,000 and a six-month prison sentence for each offence.
- Major offences can have fines of up to £20,000.
- If taken to the Crown Court, business owners may be liable for unlimited fines and up to two years imprisonment.
Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations
This Act states that food must not be contaminated by any pest species and that food premises should have suitable controls in place to do this. They should protect food against external sources of pests and must also avoid harbouring pests within their premises.
Commercial, hospitality and medical premises should be designed and constructed to prevent pests gaining access. Penalties include those as described under the Food Safety Act above.
Health and Safety at Work Act (Including Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations – COSHH)
Employers must take the necessary measures to secure the health, safety and welfare of employees and other people. In order to avoid pathogenic diseases carried by pests, slippery conditions caused by bird droppings, bites from fleas and contamination of food by pests.
Penalties include:
Improvement notices.
Prohibition notices.
Unlimited fees and a potential imprisonment of up to two years.
C.O.S.H.H – (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations)
These Regulations, made under the Health and Safety at Work Act are designed to protect people from harmful substances, they may encounter at work. Each time our technicians visit your premises, they will complete and provide you with a full Pest Prevention Report which lists the substances which have been used. This supports you to understand the chemicals and in turn helps you to minimise the risks that accompany the use of pesticides.
A schedule of pesticides is also present in the Pest Prevention Folders that we provide to our contract customers. Such information gives further details on these substances we use. Safety Data Sheets are also available upon request. GoKill Manchester Pest Control technicians are trained and equipped to apply pesticides correctly and safely. All the pesticides that we use are approved by the Control of Pesticides Regulations.
Other Acts include:
The Local Authorities Act
The Protection of Animals Act