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Pest control inspection checklist

A pest control inspection checklist is the form a food plant uses to check, on a regular walk, that pests are kept out and that the pest control programme is working. This one has 28 checks in five groups: the outside of the building, entry points and structure, receiving and storage, production and sanitation, and the monitoring devices and their records. Each check is marked Pass, Fail or N/A, and every fail gets a finding, an action, an owner and a due date. A second part is a log of the traps, bait stations and light traps: for each device at each round you record the activity found and a count, and compare it with an action level for that type of device. The Excel version flags fails with no action or past their due date, marks counts at or over the action level, and summarises activity by device type, pest and area. It is a general starting point, not legal advice, and sits alongside a food plant GMP inspection and a master sanitation schedule.

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Page 1 of the pest control inspection checklistHeader fields above a table of checks in groups for outside and surroundings, entry points and structure, and receiving and storage, each with pass, fail and N/A circles and a finding column.
28 checks in five groupsFails with action, owner and dateDevice logAction levels by device typeOver-level flagsSummary by device, pest and areaWorked example
Filled-in Pest control inspection checklist: a dry foods plant, four fails and a month of rounds
The same sheet filled in with the worked example (page 4 of the PDF, illustrative numbers). Open full size (opens the picture in a new tab)

When to use it

When to use a pest control inspection checklist

  • For a regular internal pest control inspection of a food plant, warehouse or packing site, separate from the pest control provider's visits.
  • When the provider's report lists findings and nobody can show that the plant checked its own site in between.
  • To record the monthly or weekly counts from traps and bait stations in one log and spot where activity builds up.
  • To prepare for a customer or third-party food safety audit, where records of pest control inspections are expected.
  • Not for treatment: pesticides and baiting are for a licensed pest control provider and follow the rules where you operate.

How to fill it in

  1. 1

    Fill in the header

    Site, area or building, your name, the date and the pest control provider. Inspect one area or building at a time on a larger site.

  2. 2

    Walk the outside first

    Start at the grounds, the waste containers, the walls and the outdoor stations. Most pest problems start outside, so check there before you go in.

  3. 3

    Check entry points and structure

    Look at doors, dock doors, gaps around pipes and cables, screens, drains and any cracks. These are the ways in and the places to hide.

  4. 4

    Check storage, production and the devices

    Go through receiving and storage, the working areas and the monitoring devices. Look under and behind things as well as at them.

  5. 5

    Log every device

    For each trap, station or light trap, enter the activity found and the count. Compare the count with the action level for that type of device and mark anything at or over it.

  6. 6

    Raise an action for every fail and over-level count

    Write what you saw, what will be done, who will do it and by when. Review the log monthly with the provider, and look for the cause where activity clusters.

What's on the checklist

The 28 checks on the pest control inspection checklist

Five groups: outside, entry points and structure, receiving and storage, production and sanitation, and monitoring devices and records. On the sheet each check is Pass, Fail or N/A, with a finding, an owner and a due date for every fail; the device log records what each trap or station found.

Outside and surroundings

Walk the outside of the building first

  1. 1Grounds are free of standing water, litter and overgrown vegetation next to the building
  2. 2Waste containers and skips are closed, clean and kept away from doors
  3. 3A clear strip is kept along the walls, with no pallets or equipment stored against them
  4. 4Outdoor bait stations or traps are in place, locked and in good condition
  5. 5No birds are roosting or nesting on ledges, roof edges or loading docks

Entry points and structure

Where a pest could get in or hide

  1. 6External doors close fully and seal at the bottom, with no daylight showing around them
  2. 7Dock doors and shelters are in good repair and kept closed when not in use
  3. 8Gaps around pipes, cables and vents entering the building are sealed
  4. 9Windows and vents have screens that are whole
  5. 10Floor drains have covers and traps that hold water
  6. 11There are no cracks, holes or damaged joints in walls or floors where pests could enter or hide

Receiving and storage

Goods in, and goods waiting

  1. 12Incoming goods are checked for pests and for damaged packaging before they go into storage
  2. 13Materials are stored off the floor and away from walls, with an aisle wide enough to inspect
  3. 14Stock is used first in, first out, and no old or damaged stock is left behind
  4. 15Spilled product is cleaned up straight away
  5. 16Pallets and packaging are stored clean and dry, and not outside near the building
  6. 17There is no sign of chewing, droppings, nesting material or webbing on stored goods

Production and sanitation

Inside the working areas

  1. 18Production areas are cleaned to the schedule, with no food residue on floors, drains or equipment
  2. 19Waste bins inside have lids and are emptied each shift
  3. 20Break rooms have no open food, and food is kept in sealed containers
  4. 21Doors are not propped open
  5. 22Equipment is moved or lifted during cleaning so the area underneath can be checked
  6. 23Hand wash and toilet areas are clean and dry, with no sign of pests

Monitoring devices and records

The pest control programme itself

  1. 24Every device on the map is in place, numbered and easy to reach
  2. 25Devices are checked at the frequency in the plan, and each check is recorded
  3. 26Traps and bait stations are clean, undamaged and have not been moved
  4. 27Insect light traps work and their trays are emptied on schedule
  5. 28The pest control provider's last report is on file and its recommendations are being followed up

A filled-in example

Illustrative, not a benchmark

An example (illustrative): a made-up dry foods plant, with one inspection and a month of weekly rounds of nine devices.

  • The inspection has 28 checks: 23 pass, 4 fail and 1 is not applicable, a pass rate of 85%.
  • The fails are a dock door with no door sweep, the same door propped open, a missing drain cover at the dock and pallets stacked against a wall. Three are still open and one is overdue.
  • In the device log, activity appears at the dock in round 2 with droppings in a trap, peaks in round 3 with six counts at or over the action level, and falls in round 4.
  • The inspection explains the pattern: the dock door gap and the propped door let insects and a mouse in. The door sweep was replaced before round 4.

The checklist found the cause and the device log showed the effect, which is what makes the two worth keeping together.

Common mistakes

  • Only inspecting when the provider visits

    A monthly provider visit leaves long gaps. Your own regular walk-round catches a propped door or a spill the day it happens.

  • Emptying traps without reading them

    A trap that catches something is telling you where pests are getting in. Record the count and look for the cause, not just the next trap to empty.

  • One action level for every device

    A mouse in a trap and a few flies in a light trap are different. Set a level for each type of device, with your provider, and lower it where food is open.

  • Findings with no owner or date

    A fail without an owner and a date will still be there next month. Name who will fix it and by when.

  • Skipping the outside

    Overgrown grounds, open waste containers and gaps under doors let pests in. Start every inspection outside.

Download the template

Free to use: print it, copy it and edit it for your team. Enter your name and work email once to download.

Run this template in LeanSuite

In LeanSuite, food and beverage plants build their own GMP inspections and HACCP verification checks in Lean Creator, complete them on a phone or tablet with photos, and turn failed items into corrective actions tracked to verified closure.

See it in a 45-minute demo

FAQ

Pest control inspection checklist: common questions

  1. The outside of the building, doors and other entry points, receiving and storage, production and sanitation areas, and the monitoring devices and their records. This checklist has 28 checks across those five areas.

  2. It depends on the risk, the product and your customers' and regulators' requirements. Many plants walk the site weekly or monthly in addition to the pest control provider's visits. Set the frequency in your pest control plan.

  3. It is the count at which a device needs action, such as an investigation or extra control. The levels in this template are starting points. Set yours with your pest control provider from your risk assessment, and use lower levels where food is open.

  4. Staff should record and report what they find. Baiting and other treatments are for the licensed pest control provider and must follow the rules where you operate, so this checklist records findings and actions but does not describe treatment.

  5. It is a general starting point, not legal advice. Food safety law and audit scheme requirements differ by country and product, so adapt the checks and records to your own rules and your pest control provider's plan.

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