Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002

Presence of an official veterinary surgeon

41.—(1) An official veterinary surgeon, or an authorised officer or a meat inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon, shall be present at any slaughterhouse where –

(a) any carcase of a sheep or goat that is not marked with a young lamb stamp and contains specified risk material is being loaded for delivery to licensed cutting premises, and he shall supervise the loading;

(b) a carcase of any bovine animal containing vertebral column which is specified risk material is being loaded for delivery to licensed cutting premises, and he shall supervise the loading.

(2) An official veterinary surgeon, or an authorised officer or a meat inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon, shall be present at any licensed cutting premises where –

(a) any carcase of a sheep or goat that is not marked with a young lamb stamp and contains specified risk material is being unloaded, and he shall supervise the unloading;

(b) a carcase of any bovine animal containing vertebral column which is specified risk material is being unloaded, and he shall supervise the unloading.

(3) Immediately after the loading referred to in paragraph (1) the delivery vehicle shall be sealed by an official veterinary surgeon, or an authorised officer or an inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon, and no other person may seal such a vehicle.

(4) On arrival at licensed cutting premises a sealed vehicle shall be unsealed by an official veterinary surgeon, or an authorised officer or an inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon, and no other person may unseal such a vehicle.

(5) Where the presence of an official veterinary surgeon, an authorised officer or a meat inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon is required in accordance with paragraph (1) or (2), the occupier of the slaughterhouse or cutting premises shall, not less than 72 hours before the intended loading or unloading of a carcase, give notice to the official veterinary surgeon, except where the official veterinary surgeon has agreed with the occupier that notice of a shorter duration will be accepted, in which case the notice shall be of the agreed duration.