Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

1. Introductory Text

2. Part I Preliminary

   1. 1. Citation and commencement

   2. 2. Interpretation

   3. 3. Exemptions

3. Part II Licensing of Slaughterhouses, Cutting Premises, Cold Stores, Farmed Game Handling Facilities and Farmed Game Processing Facilities

   1. 4. Issue of licences

   2. 5. Revocation of licences

   3. 6. Animals not intended for sale for human consumption

4. Part III Supervision and Control of Premises

   1. 7. Supervision of premises

   2. 8. Revocation and suspension of designation of OVSs

   3. 9. Powers of OVSs and veterinary officers

   4. 10. Inspection and health marking

   5. 11. Notice of operation of licensed premises

5. Part IV Conditions for the Marketing of Fresh Meat

   1. 12. General conditions

   2. 13. Transport documentation

6. Part V Admission and Detention in Slaughterhouses and Farmed Game Processing Facilities of Animals and Carcases

   1. 14. Alternative accommodation for certain animals

   2. 15. Period of time for keeping an animal in a lairage and removal of an animal from a slaughterhouse

   3. 16. Conditions on the admission of diseased or injured animals

   4. 17. Conditions on the admission of dead or slaughtered animals

7. Part VI Administration, Penalties and Enforcement

   1. 18. Records of inspections

   2. 19. Duties of occupier

   3. 20. Offences and penalties

   4. 21. Application of various Articles of the Order

   5. 22. Supervision and enforcement

8. Part VII Miscellaneous and Supplementary

   1. 23. Fresh meat from Great Britain, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands

   2. 24. Amendments

   3. 25. Repeals and revocations

9. Signature

10. 1. SCHEDULE 1

       Construction, Layout and Equipment of Slaughterhouses (except low throughput Slaughterhouses), Cutting Premises (except low throughput Cutting Premises) and Cold Stores — General Requirements

       1. 1. All slaughterhouses, cutting premises, re-packaging centres and cold stores shall...

       2. 2. Every room in any slaughterhouse, cutting premises, re-packaging centre or...

       3. 3. In rooms used for the storage of chilled or frozen...

       4. 4. In rooms used for chilling or refrigerating fresh meat a...

       5. 5. In rooms used for freezing fresh meat, waterproof and rot...

    2. SCHEDULE 2

       Construction, Layout and Equipment of Slaughterhouses (except low throughput Slaughterhouses) — Additional Requirements

       1. 1. In addition to the general requirements contained in Schedule 1...

       2. 2. In the case of a slaughterhouse where swine and other...

       3. 3. The room and facilities referred to in sub-paragraph 1(i) shall...

    3. SCHEDULE 3

       Construction, Layout and Equipment of Cutting Premises (except low throughput Cutting Premises) — Additional Requirements

       1. 1. In addition to the general requirements contained in Schedule 1...

    4. SCHEDULE 4

       Construction, Layout and Equipment of Cold Stores — Additional Requirements

       1. 1. In addition to the general requirements contained in Schedule 1...

    5. SCHEDULE 5

       Construction, Layout and Equipment of low throughput Slaughterhouses and low throughput Cutting Premises

       1. Part I General Requirements

          1. 1. All low throughput slaughterhouses and low throughput cutting premises shall...

          2. 2. The equipment and rooms referred to in paragraph 1(h) and...

          3. 3. Every room in any low throughput slaughterhouse or cutting premises...

       2. Part II Additional Requirements

          1. 1. In addition to the general requirements contained in Part I...

    6. SCHEDULE 6

       Operation and Construction of Farmed Game Handling Facilities and Farmed Game Processing Facilities

       1. Part I General Requirements Applicable to Farmed Game Handling Facilities

          1. 1. The occupier of every farmed game handling facility shall ensure...

       2. Part II General Requirements applicable to Farmed Game Processing Facilities

          1. 1. The farmed game processing facility shall have—

          2. 2. Every room in which farmed game meat is produced, worked...

          3. 3. The occupier of every farmed game processing facility shall ensure...

       3. Part III General Requirements applicable to Low Throughput Farmed Game Processing Facilities

          1. 1. All low throughput farmed game processing facilities shall have—

          2. 2. The equipment and rooms referred to in sub-paragraphs 1(g) and...

          3. 3. Every room in which farmed game meat is produced, worked...

          4. 4. The occupier of every low throughput farmed game processing facility...

    7. SCHEDULE 7

       Hygiene requirements in relation to Staff, Premises, Equipment and Implements

       1. Part I Requirements Applicable in all Premises

          1. 1. The occupier of any premises shall keep them or cause...

          2. 2. — (1) A person shall not engage in the handling...

          3. 3. Every person engaged in slaughtering animals or working on or...

          4. 4. A person shall not— (a) urinate, defecate or spit except...

          5. 5. Every person entering licensed premises shall, before handling any fresh...

       2. Part II Additional Requirements applicable in all Slaughterhouses and Farmed Game Processing Facilities

          1. 1. The occupier of every slaughterhouse and farmed game processing facility...

          2. 2. In a slaughterhouse or farmed game processing facility a person...

    8. SCHEDULE 8

       Ante-Mortem Health Inspection Requirements

       1. 1. Subject to paragraph 2, animals intended for slaughter for sale...

       2. 2. An animal to which the provisions of paragraph 2(e), 4...

       3. 3. The ante-mortem health inspection shall be made under adequate natural...

       4. 4. The ante-mortem health inspection shall determine— (a) whether the animals...

       5. 5. Animals shall not be slaughtered for the production of fresh...

       6. 6. (1) An animal which shows any of the conditions mentioned...

       7. 7. In the case of a live animal imported into the...

    9. SCHEDULE 9

       Slaughter and Dressing Practices — Requirements Appplicable in Slaughterhouses and Farmed Game Processing Facilities

       1. 1. (1) The occupier and persons engaged in the handling of...

       2. 2. In any slaughterhouse— (a) where bovine animals, sheep, goats, solipeds...

       3. 3. Large wild game may be slaughtered and dressed in a...

    10. SCHEDULE 10

        Post-Mortem Health Inspection Requirements applicable in Slaughterhouses and Farmed Game Processing Facilities

        1. Part I General Requirements

           1. 1. At every slaughterhouse and every farmed game processing facility, the...

           2. 2. The inspection shall include— (a) visual examination of the slaughtered...

        2. Part II Specific Requirements for Bovine Animals not less than six weeks old

           1. 1. In the case of bovine animals not less than six...

        3. Part III Specific Requirements for Bovine Animals less than six weeks old

           1. 1. In the case of bovine animals under six weeks old...

        4. Part IV Specific Requirements for Swine

           1. 1. In the case of swine the inspection shall include—

           2. 2. An investigation for cysticercus cellulosae shall be carried out which...

           3. 3. If an abscess is found in the carcase or in...

        5. Part V Specific Requirements for Sheep and Goats

           1. 1. In the case of sheep and goats the inspection shall...

           2. 2. Where a Meat Inspector or OVS has reason to suspect...

        6. Part VI Specific Requirements for Solipeds

           1. 1. In the case of solipeds the inspection shall include—

           2. 2. An investigation for glanders shall be carried out by means...

        7. Part VII Specific Requirements for Farmed Deer

           1. 1. In the case of farmed deer the inspection shall include—...

           2. 2. Where a Meat Inspector or OVS has reason to suspect...

        8. Part VIII Additional Requirements where Tuberculosis is suspected

        9. Part IX Indications of Unfitness for Human Consumption

           1. 1. (1) If upon inspection of any carcase a Meat Inspector...

           2. 2. A Meat Inspector or OVS shall reject the blood of...

           3. 3. A Meat Inspector or OVS shall, in determining for the...

           4. 4. (1) Where a Meat Inspector or OVS is satisfied that...

           5. 5. A Meat Inspector or OVS shall regard either of the...

           6. 6. (1) Where a Meat Inspector or OVS is satisfied—

           7. 7. Where a Meat Inspector or OVS is satisfied that any...

           8. 8. A Meat Inspector or OVS shall reject as unfit for...

           9. 9. Where a Meat Inspector or OVS is satisfied that the...

           10. 10. Where a Meat Inspector or OVS is satisfied that a...

           11. 11. Where the blood or offal of several animals is collected...

           12. 12. Fresh meat from horses shall be examined for trichinellosis and...

           13. 13. Where the Department so directs, an OVS or a Meat...

           14. 14. Without prejudice to paragraph 13 where the Department so directs,...

           15. 15. Save where the establishment from which it originates is subject...

    11. SCHEDULE 11

        Requirements Applicable in Cutting Premises

        1. 1. In this Part of the Schedule— “the appropriate receptacles” means...

        2. 2. The occupier of the cutting premises shall ensure that—

        3. 3. Notwithstanding anything in paragraph 2 or paragraph 1(1)(q) of Schedule...

    12. SCHEDULE 12

        Health Marking

        1. 1. Subject to paragraphs 2 and 7 the health mark shall...

        2. 2. Subject to paragraph 7, in the case of the fresh...

        3. 3. (1) Carcases weighing more than 65 kg shall have the...

        4. 4. Livers (including sliced livers) of bovine animals, swine and solipeds...

        5. 5. Cuts of fresh meat shall have the health mark applied...

        6. 6. No colour shall be used for marking fresh meat in...

        7. 7. In the case of the health marking of fresh meat...

    13. SCHEDULE 13

        Wrapping and Packaging of Meat

        1. Part 1 Wrapping

           1. 1. The occupier of any premises shall ensure that—

           2. 2. Paragraph 1(b) does not apply in the case of frozen...

        2. Part II Packaging

           1. 1. The occupier of any premises shall ensure—

           2. 2. The occupier of every slaughterhouse or farmed game processing facility...

    14. SCHEDULE 14

        Storage of Fresh Meat — Requirements applicable in Cold Stores or Re-packaging Centres

        1. 1. The occupier of the cold store or re-packaging centre shall...

        2. 2. The occupier of the cold store or re-packaging centre shall...

    15. SCHEDULE 15

        Freezing of Fresh Meat

        1. 1. The occupier of any premises at which fresh meat is...

        2. 2. The occupier of any cold store shall ensure that fresh...

    16. SCHEDULE 16

        Health Certificate

        1. 1. The health certificate which will accompany the fresh meat shall...

        2. 2. The health certificate shall be provided by the Department and...

    17. SCHEDULE 17

        Transport of Fresh Meat — Requirements applicable to Occupiers or Persons responsible for the Control and Management of Transport

        1. 1. Subject to paragraph 1(q) of Schedule 9, fresh meat shall...

        2. 2. The interior surfaces of vehicles used for the transport of...

        3. 3. (1) Vehicles used for the transport of fresh meat shall...

        4. 4. Vehicles used for conveying live animals or any substance which...

        5. 5. Fresh meat shall not be transported in the same vehicle...

        6. 6. Stomachs shall be scalded or cleaned and feet and heads...

        7. 7. Fresh meat shall not be transported in vehicles which are...

        8. 8. Carcases, half carcases, wholesale cuts of half carcases and quarter...

        9. 9. The viscera may only be transported in strong, clean and...

    18. SCHEDULE 18

        Model Declaration to accompany an animal for slaughter known or suspected to be diseased or injured

    19. SCHEDULE 19

        Certificate under Regulation 18(2)

    20. SCHEDULE 20

        Certificate of Ante-Mortem Health Inspection and Slaughter of Farmed Game

    21. SCHEDULE 21

        Repeals and revocations

11. Explanatory Note