Cleaning and pest control in the warehouse

GDP asks for storage areas to be cleaned to written instructions, for cleaning to be recorded and for a preventive pest control programme to run. In practice that means numbered monitoring points, regular visit reports and steady checks on doors and dock seals.

Cleanliness is one of the first things you notice when you walk into a warehouse. GDP treats it as a way of protecting the product. A dirty floor, a spill nobody cleaned up or a rodent that gets in puts the packaging at risk, and with it the product. That is why cleaning and pest control are part of the quality system.

What does GDP ask for?

Chapter 3 of the EU GDP guidelines, on premises and equipment, asks for storage areas to be kept clean. Cleaning follows written instructions and is recorded. The cleaning equipment and agents are chosen so that they do not become a source of contamination themselves.

On pests the guidelines expect two things. The premises are designed and equipped to keep out insects, rodents and other animals. On top of that, a preventive pest control programme is in place.

Finally there are rules about people. Rest, washing and refreshment rooms are kept separate from storage areas. Food, drink, smoking materials and personal medicines are not allowed where goods are stored.

What goes into a cleaning instruction?

A good cleaning instruction answers four questions: what gets cleaned, how often, with what, and by whom. The record shows that it was done. Together they answer a simple question: when was this area last cleaned?

A few points need their own attention:

Goods stand on clean, sound pallets; dirty or broken pallets are taken out of use.
There is a written procedure for spills and leaks. It says what to clean them up with, where the waste goes and how the incident is recorded.
Waste leaves on a schedule, because piled-up cardboard attracts pests and adds to the fire load.

How does a pest control programme work?

The programme starts with a map. The monitoring points in the warehouse, such as bait stations and insect monitors, are numbered and marked on a plan. At each visit every point is checked, and the findings go into a visit report.

Reading the reports one at a time is not enough. A finding that keeps coming back at the same point over months can mean a door that does not close properly or a gap in a wall. That is why findings are also tracked over time and the trends reviewed regularly.

Prevention is part of the programme too. Doors, dock seals and gaps where walls meet the floor are checked regularly. A door left open or a worn seal can undo the rest of the programme.

Humidity and cleanliness

Humidity belongs in the same picture. A damp environment makes mould more likely and weakens packaging. We cover its effects in the warehouse in a separate article. For where cleaning and pest control sit within GDP as a whole, see What is GDP?