A single rodent dropping near a production line can put a facility’s certification on hold within hours. Within a broader SQF, BRC, or AIB audit, pest control is one of the most closely scrutinized components, covered by its own SQF audit pest control requirements, BRC certification pest control criteria, and AIB inspection checklist category. Each standard evaluates it differently, and knowing those differences ahead of time is what makes the difference on audit day.
The quick answer: SQF checks for a documented pest control plan, a licensed provider, and corrective action records. BRC adds a documented pest risk assessment and structural exclusion review. Integrated Pest Management is one of the five categories evaluated under AIB’s scored inspection framework, so a weak program shows up as a visible number, not just a pass or fail.
What SQF Expects From Your Pest Control Program
The Safe Quality Food (SQF) standard requires facilities to maintain a documented pest management program that covers prevention, monitoring, and corrective action. Auditors look for a written pest control plan that identifies the scope of the program, the name and license number of the contracted pest control provider, and a site map showing the placement of all monitoring devices, bait stations, and traps.
SQF also places significant weight on corrective action records. If a monitoring device shows activity, there must be a documented response, including what was found, when, what action was taken, and how the situation was followed up. Gaps in that chain are among the most common minor non-conformances cited during SQF audits.
BRC Certification Pest Control Requirements
The BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety (commonly called BRC) takes a risk-based approach. Facilities are expected to conduct a documented pest risk assessment that accounts for the specific pests likely to be present given the site’s location, construction, and product type. BRC auditors pay close attention to structural exclusion; gaps around pipes, worn door seals, and unscreened vents are flagged as root causes rather than isolated findings.
One area where BRC differs from SQF is its emphasis on trend analysis. Monitoring data should be reviewed over time to identify patterns, not just logged per visit. A pest control partner who provides periodic trend reports, not just service records, gives facilities a meaningful advantage during BRC certification pest control reviews. For facilities managing commercial pest management across multiple sites, consistent reporting formats across locations matter here.
AIB Inspection Checklist: A Different Kind of Scrutiny
The AIB International inspection uses a scored checklist model, which means pest control deficiencies translate directly into numerical deductions. The AIB inspection checklist covers five major categories, and integrated pest management is one of them. Inspectors examine device placement, sanitation linkages, and whether the facility can demonstrate that pest activity findings have been connected back to sanitation or structural root causes.
AIB is particularly rigorous about the condition of the facility perimeter. Overgrown vegetation, standing water sources, and debris near loading docks are common point deductions. Unlike SQF and BRC, AIB are compared against industry benchmarks, so a weak pest control program has a visible, quantifiable impact on a facility’s standing.
What All Three Standards Have in Common
Across SQF, BRC, and AIB, a few requirements appear consistently. Documentation must be current and retrievable on demand. Service reports, device maps, and corrective action logs should be organized so an auditor can review the last several months of activity without delay. The pest control provider must hold a valid license, and any label-compliant, legally permitted and facility-authorized products appropriate for the application area and applied by a licensed technician.
Facilities that rely on a pest control partner with experience in food-facility compliance tend to fare better across all three standards. That experience shows up in how service records are formatted, how corrective actions are documented, and how device maps are maintained. Reviewing industries with elevated pest risk can also help facilities understand where their vulnerabilities are most likely to appear before an auditor does.
Dewey Pest and Termite Control works with commercial facilities on programs built to meet the documentation and monitoring standards that SQF, BRC, and AIB auditors expect. To find a team near your facility, browse our pest control service areas and connect with a local team familiar with food-facility compliance requirements.