How to use itA trained staff member checks weekly and logs findings. Treatments are done by your licensed pest control provider.
Who fills it inA trained manager or designated staff member
WhenWeekly, between professional service visits
Time neededAbout 20 to 30 minutes
Keep itPest log available for your provider and inspectors
When you need the pest control inspection checklist
Pest problems start small. Weekly checks between professional visits catch early signs and help your provider target treatment.
Do not apply pesticides yourself unless you are trained and allowed. Leave treatment to licensed professionals.
13 items. Keep it on a tablet, or print a copy for the clipboard.
Signs of activity
Entry points
Sanitation and storage
Devices and log
How to use the pest control inspection checklist step by step
Walk the same route weekly.
Use a flashlight for dark corners.
Log every sighting with time and place.
Share the log with your provider.
Fix entry points quickly.
The pest control inspection checklist in practice
During the weekly check, a bakery manager finds droppings near the flour storage and a gap under the back door. She logs both, moves stock, calls the provider for an extra visit and orders a new door sweep.
Why a pest control inspection checklist matters
The FDA Food Code, which most states adopt, requires food premises to be kept free of insects and rodents and outer openings to be protected. Health inspectors check for signs of pests and often ask to see the pest control log.
What a completed pest control inspection checklist looks like
Check date
Tuesday Nov 3, manager Sofia
Signs
None in flour room; 2 dead moths near oat bins
Entry points
Back door sweep worn, gap about 1/4 in.
Storage
All sacks on pallets 6 in. off floor
Trash area
Dumpster lid left open, closed
Devices
12 stations; #7 moved by delivery cart, reset
Provider
Called; moth traps added Nov 6
At Golden Crust Bakery in Albuquerque, moths near the oat bins point to a stored product pest, not rodents, so the provider set different traps. The door sweep gap is recorded with a measurement.
Where a pest control inspection checklist goes wrong
Cleaning away droppings before logging them. Note the location and amount first, since that helps your provider find the source.
Moving bait stations or traps to clean behind them and not putting them back. Return each device to its marked spot.
Leaving pallets and boxes against walls. Keep a gap so you can see along walls, which is where pests usually travel.
Tailor it to how you work
Bakeries and dry goods storesFocus on flour, grains and packaging, and check for small holes in bags and webbing in stored products.
WarehousesAdd dock doors, dock seals and the perimeter outside, and check incoming pallets for signs of activity.
From the fieldNumber each trap and monitor and mark them on a simple floor plan. It makes the log easier to compare week to week.
Questions about the pest control inspection checklist
How often to check?
Weekly is common for food businesses.
Can staff treat pests?
Leave treatment to licensed providers.
Who keeps the log?
A named manager.
Do inspectors look at it?
Health inspectors may ask for pest records.
What is integrated pest management?
Integrated pest management is an approach that relies on inspection, sealing entry points, sanitation and monitoring first, with targeted treatment only where needed. It reduces pesticide use around food. Most commercial pest contracts and food safety audits expect it.
How do I tell mouse droppings from rat droppings?
Mouse droppings are small, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch, with pointed ends. Norway rat droppings are larger, about 3/4 inch, with blunt ends. Fresh droppings are dark and soft, while old ones are gray and crumble, which helps you tell new activity from old.
Disclaimer: This template is general information to adapt to your own workplace. It is not legal, safety or compliance advice and does not replace inspections, training or requirements set by law, regulators, manufacturers or your insurer. Check the rules that apply to you with a qualified professional.
