NRFSP Pest Control and Facility Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is the best strategy for preventing pest entry into a food service facility?
- Using pesticides inside the kitchen daily
- Sealing cracks, gaps, and openings in walls, floors, and around pipes (Correct answer)
- Keeping lights off in storage areas
- Placing bait traps inside food storage shelves
Correct answer: Sealing cracks, gaps, and openings in walls, floors, and around pipes
Excluding pests by sealing all entry points — gaps, cracks, and openings — is the most effective first line of defense in an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program.
Question 2: Who is the only person permitted to apply pesticides inside a licensed food service establishment?
- Any trained kitchen employee
- A licensed pest control operator (PCO) (Correct answer)
- The food service manager
- A certified food handler
Correct answer: A licensed pest control operator (PCO)
Only a licensed pest control operator (PCO) may apply pesticides inside food service facilities to ensure safe, legal, and effective application.
Question 3: What does IPM stand for in the context of pest control for food service?
- Internal Pest Monitoring
- Integrated Pest Management (Correct answer)
- Insecticide and Pesticide Methods
- Institutional Pest Minimization
Correct answer: Integrated Pest Management
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a comprehensive approach combining sanitation, exclusion, monitoring, and minimal pesticide use to control pests.
Question 4: Which sign most strongly indicates a rodent infestation in a food storage area?
- Sawdust near wooden shelving
- Droppings, gnaw marks, and grease trails (Correct answer)
- Condensation on walls
- Unusual odors from cleaning products
Correct answer: Droppings, gnaw marks, and grease trails
Rodent droppings, gnaw marks on packaging, and dark grease trails along walls and baseboards are classic signs of an active rodent infestation.
Question 5: What is the purpose of installing air curtains or self-closing doors at food facility entrances?
- To reduce energy costs only
- To prevent insects and pests from entering when doors are opened (Correct answer)
- To maintain temperature for refrigerated display cases
- To satisfy ADA accessibility requirements
Correct answer: To prevent insects and pests from entering when doors are opened
Air curtains and self-closing doors are physical pest exclusion measures that prevent flying insects and rodents from entering when personnel use doorways.
Question 6: A food service manager finds cockroach egg cases behind a piece of equipment. What is the correct immediate response?
- Remove the egg cases and continue operating
- Contact a licensed pest control operator and increase sanitation immediately (Correct answer)
- Apply over-the-counter pesticide spray
- Notify the health department only
Correct answer: Contact a licensed pest control operator and increase sanitation immediately
Finding cockroach egg cases indicates an active infestation requiring immediate professional pest control intervention and enhanced sanitation to remove food and harborage sources.
NRFSP Pest Control and Facility Management 1
Which of the following is the best strategy for preventing pest entry into a food service facility?