Companies that hire external service providers for pest control now have a helpful tool at their disposal: The new EN 16636 standard specifies the requirements and competencies that pest controllers must meet and demonstrate, and is thus highly relevant to, among others, the food industry, the hotel and hospitality industry, and all other industries that frequently use pest control services.
What does EN 16636 cover?
EN 16636 is aimed at pest control companies that carry out assessments, preventive measures, advisory services and control measures in agricultural and food companies. On the other hand, the application of EN 16636 in the field of commercial plant protection by agricultural contractors is not intended.
The standard consists of two components: on the one hand, requirements for process flows in pest control companies and, on the other hand, requirements for competencies for the persons responsible for or performing essential functions in the company.
Therefore, the standard is also important for you as a customer of pest control companies.
The new standard is a valuable tool in many ways:
- The standard describes a standardized procedure for assessments, root cause analyses, risk analyses, action plans, waste management & reporting, which pest control companies have to comply with
- EN 16636 corresponds to the generally accepted rules of pest control in Germany and Europe. By using pest controllers who work according to the specifications of the new standard, you can prove that pest management is carried out with due care. A pest control service that is not performed according to the rules of EN 16636 can be judged to be deficient in the event of a dispute.
- The standard prescribes requirements for the drafting of contracts and thus creates a basis for comparison for offers from different providers.
- Certification in accordance with EN 16636 is an additional evaluation criterion when selecting a suitable pest control company
- Integration into quality management: standards such as IFS Food or BRC Food require you to maintain a pest control system as part of your quality management system. If your pest controller proceeds according to EN 16636, it is ensured that the documentation requirements are taken into account.
It is therefore advisable to work with pest controllers who apply the requirements of EN 16636 as the basis of their daily work.
Certified pest controllers
An Overview list of certified pest control companies can be found on the homepage of CEPA, the federation of the individual national associations of pest control companies in Europe. It is expected that the first certification audits will be carried out in the coming weeks.
Certification bodies
As one of the first certification bodies, DQS has been approved by CEPA, the European umbrella organization for pest control companies, to perform certification audits according to EN 16636.
With over three decades of experience in quality, environmental and hygiene management, DQS is the perfect partner for EN 16636 certification audits. Contact us to learn about the latest developments regarding EN 16636.
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Author
Dr. Thijs Willaert
Dr. Thijs Willaert is the Global Director of Sustainability Services. In this role, he is responsible for the entire ESG service portfolio of DQS. His areas of interest include sustainable procurement, human rights due diligence and ESG audits.
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