HACCP is congratulating professional pest managers for raising the bar when it comes to creating food-safe environments.
The Australian food industry is a very demanding environment for pest service providers – and it’s getting tougher!
HACCP Australia’s new standard for the delivery of Pest Management Services for Food Businesses has been in force for over two years and all certified pest service providers in Australia have now transitioned to the new version – a significant step up.
“This new standard represents world’s best practice and it is very pleasing to see Australian companies, some large and some niche, being well represented in the cohort of those that have made the successful transition,” explained Clive Withinshaw, a director at HACCP Australia.
“This standard has been very well received all over the world and many of the world’s leading food businesses recognise, and use, the standard. Certification to this standard is not easy – meeting world’s best practice never is – however those that have, and the food businesses that use their services should be vey pleased. Pest control issues have been, for many years, a major source of issues and non-conformances for food businesses and this standard has a significant impact in reducing those,” said Mr Withinshaw.
Service suppliers to the food industry, such as pest and cleaning contractors have, in the past, looked to inadequate or inapplicable qualifications, ISO hybrids and guideline documents. These are either inappropriate or lack distinct measurement – many of which complicate matters with the inclusion of irrelevant requirements.
“This standard stands out as the only one designed to meet the precise needs of food safety certification schemes such as those endorsed by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) such BRC and SQF. A company certified to this standard can demonstrate proven ability – in the way and to the high-level food businesses expect,” explained Mr Withinshaw.
A senior HACCP International (the overseas arm of HACCP Australia) technical expert sits on the GFSI technical committee based in Paris. The committee is tasked with developing standards protocols for the provision of services to the food industry as it addresses the significant risks in food production brought about by contractor-provided services. The food industry recognises the risks from these essential service contracts and needs to tackle them. This standard is of the exact nature that this leading food industry body wants to encourage.
The HACCP Australia standard was developed in accordance with IS017065 and had technical input review from internationally renowned food business, pest management service suppliers as well as independent, food safety auditors.
Certification requires conformance in terms of processes, reporting, food safety training, food safe product selection, internal management review and on-site delivery, with definitive, and easily understood, compliance requirements.
“I urge pest managers to consider certification and joining the world’s best. The standard is available, free of charge, on the HACCP International and HACCP Australia websites. Those websites also detail those companies in Australia which carry certification to the new, demanding standard. They are to be congratulated in playing their part in furthering the Australian food industry’s reputation as ‘world’s best’,” concluded Mr Withinshaw.
