Storage and stock management

Storing your products and equipment in a safe and suitable environment is essential for any pest control business.

Unlike many other service industries, you’ll probably be surprised to hear that you don’t need substantial storage space for your pest control products. As most suppliers offer a ‘next day’ delivery service you don’t need to hold a huge amount of stock to do your work. However, you will need some storage space to hold equipment and chemicals.

Your storage area must be:

☑ Resistant to fire.
☑ Capable of retaining leaks or spillages.
☑ Dry and frost-free.
☑ Adequately ventilated.
☑ Secured against unauthorised access.

Fixed Storage

If you are planning to make space for a fixed pest control store on your premises, then you will need to consider the following:

Size – needs to be large enough to hold your peak pesticide requirements – think of what you may potentially stock.
Waste – provide adequate storage for waste, such as empty containers, packing etc. which is awaiting disposal.
Position – place away from areas that present a risk of fire and at least four metres away from a domestic dwelling or sources of ignition.
Location – there is ready access for pesticide deliveries or the emergency services.
Signage – Mark (and where it is located within a larger building, the exterior of the building) with the general danger warning sign.

Storage Layout

When laying out how you are going to store all your products, you’ll need to consider the following fundamentals of pesticide storage:

☑ Store powders above liquids.
☑ Provide adequate lighting so that you can read the labels.
☑ Avoid storing plastic containers in direct sunlight.

Store Management

☑ Maintain accurate storage records.

☑ Ensure waste and cardboard packaging is removed to save space.

☑ Rotate stock and ensure old stock is used up.