The Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995

PART IIGENERAL REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO FARMED GAME PROCESSING FACILITIES

1.  The farmed game processing facility shall have—

(a)a clearly defined boundary with means of controlling access to and from the premises;

(b)at places readily accessible to the work stations and sanitary conveniences, suitable facilities, that is to say—

(i)an adequate supply (provided otherwise than by taps operable by hand or arm) of hot and cold running water, or pre-mixed running water at a suitable temperature, and sufficient supplies of soap or other detergent for the cleaning and disinfection of hands by persons handling fresh meat; and

(ii)an hygienic means of drying hands;

(c)in rooms where work on farmed game meat is undertaken, suitable and sufficient facilities, situated as close as possible to or readily accessible to the work stations, for the disinfection of knives and other hand tools, such facilities to be adequately supplied with water which shall be maintained at a temperature of not less than +82°C;

(d)adequate space and facilities for the efficient performance at any time of inspections required by these Regulations;

(e)equipment and fittings

(i)of a durable, impermeable and corrosion-resistant material (not being made of wood) not liable to taint meat and of such construction as to enable them to be kept clean and disinfected;

(ii)if to be used for handling, storing or transporting farmed game meat to be so constructed that farmed game meat and the base of any receptacles containing such meat do not come into contact with the floor; the surfaces of any equipment and fittings which are likely to come into contact with unpackaged farmed game meat to be kept smooth;

(f)facilities for the hygienic handling and protection of farmed game meat during loading and unloading;

(g)suitable and sufficient receptacles with closely fitting covers for collecting and removing all waste and farmed game meat not intended for human consumption;

(h)suitable refrigeration equipment to enable the internal temperature of farmed game meat to be maintained at not more than +7°C for carcases and cuts, +3°C for offal and –12°C for frozen farmed game meat, such equipment to have a drainage system which avoids risk of contamination of farmed game meat;

(i)a suitable and sufficiently large refrigerated room or rooms for the cooling and storage of farmed game meat, equipped with corrosion-resistant fittings which prevent such meat from coming into contact with the floors and walls; where a refrigerated room is used to store farmed meat already cooled, it shall also have a recording thermometer or recording telethermometer;

(j)water, that is to say—

(i)a sufficient, clean and wholesome supply of hot and cold water, or water premixed to a suitable temperature available at an adequate pressure; and in each case meeting the requirements of Council Directive 80/778/EEC;

(ii)the separation of any water so that it may be used only for the purpose of fire fighting or the operation of refrigerators or steam boilers, and so that pipes carrying such water shall be arranged so as not to allow any such water to be used for any other purpose; and that all such pipes shall clearly be distinguished from those used for water which is clean and wholesome and shall present no risk of contamination to farmed game meat; and

(iii)if water is stored, fully covered tanks to contain it which tanks shall be of such construction as to enable them to be emptied and kept clean;

(k)satisfactory drainage, fitted with gratings and traps for solids, which shall be maintained in proper working order; save that, in rooms provided for the cooling or storage of farmed game meat, gratings and traps shall not be required;

(l)an arrangement of rooms so that

(i)there are suitable, sufficient and adequately equipped rooms for persons working in the premises to change their clothes, and sanitary conveniences, separate from any part of the premises which at any time contain farmed game meat;

(ii)clean protective clothing is stored separately from other clothing;

(iii)surfaces of the walls and floors of such rooms are smooth, washable and impermeable; and

(iv)any room in which a sanitary convenience is situated shall not communicate directly with any room or area in which farmed game meat is being produced, cut up, handled, worked on or stored or in any such room as is referred to in sub-paragraph (s) below;

(m)sufficient and adequately equipped showers which are for the use of persons working in the premises and are situated near the rooms where such persons may change their clothes;

(n)suitable facilities for the storage of detergents, disinfectants and similar substances;

(o)adequate protection against the entry of insects, vermin and birds;

(p)a suitable and sufficient room for the dressing of carcases of farmed game;

(q)a suitable system of overhead rails for the hygienic dressing and further handling of carcases; save that such a system shall not be required for the dressing of carcases where such a process can be carried out hygienically in a cradle or other equipment suitable for this purpose;

(r)suitable and sufficient facilities, capable of being securely locked, for the isolation of farmed game meat requiring further examination by an OVS or inspector, such facilities to be refrigerated so as to enable the requirements of paragraph 1(q) of Schedule 9 to be complied with and to be provided with a drainage system which avoids risk of contamination of farmed game meat;

(s)a separate room or rooms capable of being securely locked for the retention of farmed game meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption, unless—

(i)such meat is removed or destroyed as often as may be necessary, and in any case at least once daily, and the quantity of such meat is not sufficient to require the provision of a separate room or rooms;

(ii)suitable, sufficient receptacles with closely fitting covers shall be provided which are capable of being securely locked and which shall be used only for holding farmed game meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption and are clearly market to that effect;

(iii)any chutes or receptacles used to transport such meat are so constructed and installed and maintained as to avoid risk of contamination of farmed game meat intended for human consumption;

(t)a suitable and sufficient room and facilities for the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines; save that such a room and facilities shall not be required if—

(i)stomachs and intestines are removed unopened from the dressing room immediately after the post-mortem inspection and taken to the room or receptacles referred to in sub-paragraph (s) above; or (ii) the closed-circuit mechanical equipment referred to in paragraph 3 of Schedule 2 is provided;

(u)a suitable and sufficient room for the dressing of guts and tripe if this is carried out in the premises; save that where a room is provided in accordance with sub-paragraph (t) above for the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines, that room shall also be regarded as suitable and sufficient for the dressing of guts and tripe provided such dressing can be carried out in a manner avoiding cross-contamination;

(v)a suitable and sufficient room for the preparation and cleaning of offal (other than the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines and the dressing of guts and tripe) and which includes a separate area for handling heads at a sufficient distance from other offal, if these operations are carried out in the premises other than on the dressing line;

(w)a suitable and sufficient room or place for the packaging of offal if this is done in the premises; save that preparation, cleaning, wrapping and packaging of offal may take place in the same room provided the requirements of paragraph 2 of Part II of Schedule 13 are observed;

(x)a suitable room for the storage under hygienic conditions of wrapping and packaging material where offal is wrapped or packaged in the premises;

(y)a suitable and sufficient room for the storage of hides and skins unless they are to be collected and taken away daily;

(z)a suitable and sufficient room or rooms for the storage of antlers, hooves, fat and other waste material unless these are to be collected and taken away daily; save that where a room is provided in accordance with sub-paragraph (y) above for the storage of hides and skins, that room shall also be regarded as suitable and sufficient for the storage of antlers, hooves, fat and other waste material;

(aa)an OVS room;

(bb)if the bodies of slaughtered farmed game are received from other premises, a suitable and separate place (which may be situated outside the boundary of the premises), and adequate equipment, for cleaning and disinfecting vehicles used for transporting the bodies of slaughtered farmed game;

(cc)a suitable and separate place (which may be situated outside the boundary of the premises) and adequate equipment, for cleaning and disinfecting vehicles used for the transport of farmed game meat;

(dd)satisfactory and hygienic facilities for the disposal of solid and liquid waste;

(ee)a clear separation between the soiled and clean working areas of the building so as to protect the clean areas from the contamination; and

(ff)a room suitably equipped for carrying out an examination for trichinellosis where such examination is carried out in the premises.

2.  Every room in which farmed game meat is produced, worked on, handled or stored and any area through which farmed game meat is transported shall have—

(a)floors and floor surfaces of impermeable, rot proof, non-slip and durable material, which shall be so constructed and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable them to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected; (such floors shall be laid in such a way as to facilitate the drainage of waste water);

(b)interior wall surfaces faced with a smooth, durable, impermeable and washable material (which shall be of a light colour) to the following heights—

(i)in any of the rooms referred to in sub-paragraphs 1(p), (r), (s), (t), (u) and (v) above up to a height of not less than 3 metres or the full height of the room whichever is lower;

(ii)in any room used for the cooling or storage of farmed game meat, up to a height of not less than the usable storage height;

(iii)in any other rooms in which unpackaged farmed game meat is handled, up to a height of not less than 2 metres;

(c)rounded angles between floor and wall surfaces; save that in rooms of any premises in which only frozen farmed game meat is stored such angles need not be rounded;

(d)doors and door frames of a hard wearing, corrosion-resistant material or, if made of wood, with a smooth, impermeable covering on all surfaces;

(e)a ceiling, or, where there is no ceiling the interior surfaces of the roof, which is so constructed and finished so as to minimise condensation, mould development, flaking and the lodgement of dirt, and to be kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable it to be thoroughly cleansed;

(f)insulation materials which are rot proof and odourless;

(g)suitable and sufficient means of ventilation to the external air (except in the case of a humidity-controlled or temperature controlled chamber) including, where necessary, adequate means of steam extraction; (all ventilation systems shall at all times be kept in good working order); and

(h)adequate artificial lighting throughout the workrooms; which lighting shall not distort colours and shall be of an overall intensity of not less than 220 lux; save that all places where inspection of farmed game meat is normally carried out the overall intensity shall be not less than 540 lux.

3.  The occupier of every farmed game processing facility shall ensure that the requirements of Schedule 7 are observed.