- For our Commercial clients, an Integrated Pest Management agreement may be the better choice for you and your premises rather than a one-off treatment.
- This may be because you have a returning pest infestation, you want to be pro-active rather than re-active, or you are food premises and need to comply with the law. Integrated Pest Management agreements can work out being cost effective for you and your business, along with on-going recommendations and identifying early signs of returning activity from pests before the infestation increases.
Bird Control / Cleaning
Types of Proofing Technique
- Spiking: This method of proofing is to dissuade birds and prevent them from alighting on the surface. They are very adaptable and can be used to proof a wide variety of plain or ornate buildings.
- Netting: Bird netting systems, which screen off problem areas, can give 100% success when installed correctly. Nets come in sizes to suit House Sparrows, Starlings, Feral Pigeons and Gulls. They can also exclude other birds too. Netting can be specified in several colours to suit the building’s masonry as well a no-flame version.
- Post And Wire: Post-and-wire systems are tried and tested applications, which can be used on ledges, ridges and other structures to prevent both Pigeons and Gulls gaining foothold.
- Electrical Systems: The Avi-shock system is cleared for the use in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and is a low profile track system that will deter all species of birds from landing on alighting surfaces.
- Physical Barriers: Plastic strip curtain doors should always be considered for large openings where bird ingress into buildings causes problems.
Bird Pressures
- Heavy-Pressure / Levels of Activity: sites which are characterised by lots of fouling, nesting materials and even eggs. They are sheltered and are used by birds nesting at night. Netting is perhaps the most effective deterrent for such areas, however other systems such as heavy duty point point systems, the electrical track and optical gel systems could also be considered but in some cases may need to be supported by a local cull or remove persistent individual birds.
- Medium-Pressure: areas are less sheltered but still heavily fouled. They are favoured daytime perching areas overlooking a food source, netting, electric track, optical gel and spike systems may be appropriate in these areas. However, birds are likely to be displaced to adjacent sites.
- Low-Pressure: areas are exposed, occasional perching places with little fouling. Any proofing system can be used including post and wire, spikes, electrical track and optical gel may be considered.
Types of Control
- Hawking/ Falconry
- Shooting
- Trapping – Working with DEFRA Genral Licence GL42
- Visual Gel Repellants – Working with DEFRA Genral Licence GL42
- Scaring
- Recommendations
- Clearance/ Cleaning with Biocides
- Proofing Solutions
Commercial Treatments
- Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 state that any premises connected to food must employ adequate control measures to ensure they do not have pests. Surveys are offered to all of our commercial clients, to provide a detailed report, risk assessment, detailed treatment plan and a quotation for the work to be carried out. Our highly experienced and highly trained technicians are on hand to carry out urgent call outs as part of the agreement. The technician will be working with you to try and ensure you do not get a re-infestation of pests. The technicians will provide on going recommendations as they go through the treatments on site. As time goes on, pest can find different ways into buildings, situations can change of which the technician will be on hand to identify these issues.
Emergency call outs!
If you have an emergency which needs attending to urgently, please contact BioPest so that we can arrange for one of our Service Technicians to visit you.
Legislation
LEGISLATION
There are several statutory instruments relating to the work that we do within pest control. These can generally be divided into four categories.
- Animal Welfare and Control
Legislation relating to the humane control of harmful creatures and the protection of non-target species and the environment.
- Pesticide Legislation
Legislation relating to the way pesticides may be brought to the market, their sale, use, storage and disposal.
- Health and Safety Legislation
Legislation protecting the health and safety of employees and the general public from activities being carried out at work.
- Food and Public Health Legislation
Legislation relating to the provision of food fit for human consumption and prevention of unsanitary conditions within neighbourhoods.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
- Act
A primary piece of legislation, passed by parliament, laying down in broad terms what is permissible and what is not permissible under the Act.
- Regulations
A more specific piece of legislation made under the Act. Regulations are legal documents and an Act can have several sets of regulations made under it.
Animal Welfare Control
- The Pest Act 1954
This act principally affects the control of rabbits, giving all occupiers a continuing obligation to control rabbits on or resorting to their land. Spring traps are only to be used if approved under the Spring Trap Approval Order 1995 and set wholly over the overhang of the burrow.
- Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
This is the principle piece of legislation protecting birds and other animals. All wild birds, their nests and eggs are given protection. There are a number of general licenses issued under this act that enable certain birds to be killed or taken by authorised persons at any time. The general license most commonly used for general pest control is one which allows certain species to be killed or taken for the preservation of human health and safety. The Act also gives protection to wild animals including bats, red squirrels, otters, water voles, grass snakes, adders and many more. It also prohibits certain methods for killing and taking wild animals such as self-locking snares, bows, crossbows and exploding devices.
- The Protection of Badgers Act 1982
This Act makes it an offence to kill or attempt to kill, injure or take a badger or interfere with a badger set. Provision has been made to apply for a licence to carry out actions that are forbidden under the Act
- The Wild Mammals Protection Act 1996
This Act makes it an offence to mutilate, kick, beat, impale, stab, burn, stone, crush, asphyxiate, drown or drag any wild animal with the intent to cause harm. Exceptions allow for pest control provided the animal is killed swiftly.
- Animal Welfare Act 2006
This Act is mainly concerned with captive animals. Animals in traps are the responsibility of the person placing the trap and the animal should be provided with food and water.
Pesticide Legislation
- Food and Environment Act 1985
This Act is often referred to as FEPA and has four main objectives:
1) Protecting the health of human beings, creatures and plants
2) Safeguarding the environment
3) Securing safe, efficient and humane methods of controlling pests
4) Making information about pesticides available to the public
- Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986
These regulations are often referred to as COPR and are made under the
Food and Environment Protection Act 1985. Under these regulations only approved pesticides may be advertised, supplied or used.
Health and Safety Legislation
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
This Act places the responsibility and duties on employers and employees, the self-employed and others with regard to the health, safety and welfare of people at work and protecting other people to risks to health and safety arising from activities of people at the work place.
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002
Often referred to as COSHH Regulations, they impose duties on employers to protect employees and other persons who may be exposed to substances hazardous to health.
- The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992
These regulations are made under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and are primarily concerned with the safe working practices of employers. It is these regulations that require employers to implement health and safety measures that are identified by Risk Assessments on all jobs carried out by employees
- Work at Height Regulations 2005
These regulations are made under the health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and are concerned with all aspects of working above ground level.
Food and Public Health Legislation
- Public Health Act 1936 and 1961
Under this Act Local Authorities are given powers and responsibilities regarding ‘verminous premises’, under this Act, Local Authorities can;
1) Serve notice requiring the removal of wall paper and other coverings towalls and take action regarding the control of vermin
2) Service notice requiring the disconnection of drains or the sealing of disused or unnecessary drains
3) Serve notice requiring the removal of rubbish
4) Deal with nuisance or damage in built up areas caused by feral pigeons
- The Prevention of Damage by Pests Acts 1949
This Act puts responsibility on the Local Authority to make sure that its district is kept free from rats and mice. The Local Authority can enforce duties on the land owners and occupiers of the land to get rid of rats and mice living on their land.
- The Food Safety Act 1990
This Act is not directly concerned with pests or pest control but with the safety of food and human consumption. Pests contaminate food and spread diseases and are therefore relevant to the Act.
Offences under the Act:
To sell food for human consumption that fails to comply with food and safety requirements.
Food will fail to comply with food safety requirements if it is so contaminated that it is unreasonable to expect it to be eaten.
This offence may not just apply to food for retail sale or offer but at any point in the food chain and therefore covers food ingredients.
PESTS CONTMINATE FOODS
Food and Public Health Legislation
- The Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006
These regulations are made under the Food Safety Act 1990. Different regulations have been produced for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
These regulations have requirements that relate to pest control:
- The layout, design and construction of premises shall permit good food hygiene practices and pest control.
- Windows which open to the outside should be fitted with insect proof screens
- Refuse stores must be designed and managed so as to enable then to be kept clean and free of pests.
- Adequate procedures to control pests must be in place such as:
1) Proofing of entrance points
2) Insect screens
3) Electric Fly Killers
4) Good stock rotation
5) Regular surveys and monitoring for pests
Contact BioPest Management Ltd today so that we can offer our expertise and knowledge to support you in your quest to adhere to the above law and legislation.