Premises, Equipment, and Pest Control
What this domain covers
Premises, equipment and pest control tests the physical environment: surfaces, ventilation, lighting, waste areas, equipment condition and pest-proofing. The exam expects you to spot conditions that allow contamination or pests.
Core rules and concepts
- Food-contact surfaces must be smooth, non-absorbent, easy to clean and in good repair; replace cracked boards and damaged utensils.
- Floors, walls and ceilings should be clean and maintainable; provide adequate ventilation and lighting.
- Keep doors and windows screened; fit door sweeps and seal gaps around pipes; repair leaks and remove standing water.
- Store food off the floor and away from walls; keep dry stores cool, dry and pest-proof.
- Use covered waste bins and remove waste frequently; keep waste areas away from food preparation.
- Pest control must be planned and recorded; do not place bait or insecticide where it can contaminate food.
Worked example
A dry store has torn window mesh, rice bags on the floor and rat droppings behind a shelf. The droppings show pests have access. Correct action is to remove and discard contaminated food, clean and sanitize the area, repair the mesh, fit door sweeps, place rice on pallets and arrange regular pest inspections. Do not simply sweep the droppings away and continue storage.
Traps that cost marks
- Using insecticide spray near open food.
- Blocking drains or leaving leaks that create pest breeding sites.
- Keeping food on the floor “just for today”.
- Ignoring cracks and crevices where pests hide.
- Treating pest control as a one-off instead of monitoring.