Wild Game Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

Regulations 3(2)(a) and 6(1)(e)

SCHEDULE 1 Construction, Layout and Equipment of Wild Game Processing Facilities

All wild game processing facilities shall have, in so far as is necessary for the operations carried out in the establishment—

(a) the following rooms—

(i) a sufficiently large refrigerated room for reception of the bodies of wild game;

(ii) a room for inspection, evisceration, skinning and plucking;

(iii) a sufficiently large room for cutting up, boning and wrapping, which shall have an adequate chilling facility as well as a thermometer;

(iv) a room for packaging, except that packaging may take place in the same room as cutting up, boning and wrapping provided the requirements of paragraph 2 of Part II of Schedule 8 are observed; and

(v) sufficiently large and separate chilling or refrigeration rooms for storing wild game meat.

(b) in rooms where wild game meat is produced, worked on or stored and in areas and corridors through which wild game meat is transported—

(i) waterproof flooring which is easy to clean and disinfect, rot proof and laid in such a way as to facilitate the draining of water, the water being directed towards drains fitted with gratings and traps to prevent odours; save that in rooms provided for the chilling or refrigeration of wild game meat a device with which water may be easily removed will be sufficient; and, in storerooms and in areas and corridors through which wild game meat is transported, waterproof and rot proof flooring is sufficient;

(ii) smooth, durable, impermeable walls, with a light-coloured, washable coating up to a height of at least 2 metres or the ceiling height if lower; in chilling or refrigeration rooms the walls must be coated at least to storage height; save that, in stores in premises in operation on 20th July 1992, the use of existing wooden walls is permitted;

(iii) easily cleaned wall-to-floor junctions;

(iv) doors in hard-wearing, non-corrodible material and, if of wood, with a smooth and impermeable covering on all surfaces;

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

(vi) adequate ventilation and extraction of steam;

(vii) adequate natural or artificial lighting in all of the rooms listed in sub-paragraph (a), which lighting shall not distort colours; and

(viii) a clean and easily cleaned ceiling; failing that, a roof covering with an interior surface which fulfils these conditions;

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

(i) an adequate supply (provided otherwise than by taps operable by hand) of hot and cold running water, or pre-mixed running water at a suitable temperature, and sufficient provision for the cleaning and disinfecting of hands by persons handling wild game meat; and

(ii) an hygienic means of drying hands;

(d) in rooms where work on wild game is undertaken, suitable and sufficient facilities, readily accessible to the work stations, for the disinfecting 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;

(e) appropriate arrangements for protection against pests such as insects and rodents;

(f) equipment and fittings—

(i) of corrosion-resistant material (not being made of wood) not liable to taint wild game meat;

(ii) that are easy to clean and disinfect;

(iii) if to be used for handling, storing or transporting wild game meat, to be so constructed that wild game meat and the base of any receptacles containing such meat do not come into contact with the floor or walls; and

(iv) with all surfaces likely to come into contact with unpackaged fresh meat kept smooth and easy to clean;

save that the use of wood is permitted in rooms where only packaged wild game meat is stored;

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

(h) unless wild game meat which is not intended for human consumption is removed or destroyed at the end of each working day—

(i) a separate room, capable of being securely locked; or

(ii) where the quantity of such meat is not sufficient to necessitate the provision of a separate room, special watertight non-corrodible containers with lids and fasteners to prevent unauthorised persons from removing things from them;

and any conduits used to transport such meat shall be so constructed and installed as to avoid risk of contamination to wild game meat intended for human consumption;

(i) a suitable and separate place, container or room for the isolation of wild game meat requiring further examination by the OVS or inspector, such facilities to be so arranged that the detained meat cannot come into contact with meat that is not under detention;

(j) facilities for the hygienic storage of materials for wrapping and packaging;

(k) refrigeration equipment to keep the internal temperature of wild game meat at the levels required by these Regulations, such equipment to have a drainage system which avoids risk of contamination of such meat;

(l) a sufficient, clean and wholesome supply of hot and cold potable water, or potable water premixed to a suitable temperature, available at an adequate pressure; and which permits the separation of any other water so that it may be used only for the purpose of fire fighting or the operation of refrigerators or steam boilers, 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 so that all such pipes shall be clearly distinguished from those used for water which is clean and wholesome and shall present no risk of contamination to wild game meat;

(m) liquid and solid waste disposal systems which meet hygiene requirements;

(n) adequate and suitable facilities for the exclusive use of the OVS and inspectors;

(o) facilities enabling the veterinary inspections provided for in these Regulations to be carried out efficiently at any time;

(p) an adequate number of changing rooms with smooth, waterproof, washable walls and floors, showers and flush lavatories, separate from any part of the premises which at any time contain wild game meat (lavatories shall not open directly on to the work rooms);

(q) a suitable and separate place (which may be situated elsewhere) and adequate equipment, for cleaning and disinfecting vehicles used for the transport of wild game meat; and

(r) a room or a secure place for the storage of detergents, disinfectants and similar substances.