According to Jeff Weier, technical director for Sprague Pest Solutions, the pest management industry has used a prescriptive approach over the last decade when combatting pests in commercial accounts.
“The emphasis has been on numbers and putting quantities of equipment (i.e. traps, bait stations, pheromone traps) in an account to achieve results,” says Weier. “This mindset was driven by auditors’ preferences but it didn’t necessarily work in the best interest clients.”
Weier says it is to the client’s advantage to put equipment where it is needed and when it makes the greatest impact. Identifying areas in a facility that are vulnerable to or where pest activity has been spotted is achieved by collecting and analyzing data.
“The focus needs to be on placing equipment where the pest activity is taking place or where historical data shows activity is likely to occur,” adds Weier.
Innovations in technology from handheld tablets to sensors on rodent bait stations and traps, allow pest management professionals to collect, share and analyze data more effectively than ever before.
And while the data collected on pest activity levels and locations is valuable to both client and pest professional, the key to leveraging it for maximum impact is in the interpretation.
“Trapping a mouse near an entry door rather than in the middle of a warehouse can have a totally different meaning and require a different response,” says Ashley Roden, technical specialist with Sprague Pest Solutions. “Data points you in the direction you need to go when designing and implementing a program.”
Using an analysis-based approach to pest control not only helps explain a program’s components more effectively but allows pest professionals to determine what needs to be done, where in the facility action is needed and, more importantly, the timing of the service.
It also promotes a proactive, preventive mindset toward pest management that is favored under mandates set forth by the Food Safety Modernization Act.
“How you react to the data and communicate those findings with clients and auditors is important,” adds Roden. “It gives clients a fuller picture of what services were performed and the value of those services. It’s what separates us from the competition.”
To help with questions on analysis-based pest management and eliminate potential risk to your business, the Sprague 24/7 Helpline is there for you. Give us a call at 855.805.0755