The Fresh Meat Export (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1987

Regulations 4(1)(a)(i), (ii) and (iii), 7(5), (6) and (7), 10(1)(c) and (2)(d), 12(1) and 13

SCHEDULE 5 HYGIENE REQUIREMENTS IN RELATION TO STAFF, PREMISES, EQUIPMENT AND IMPLEMENTS IN EXPORT SLAUGHTERHOUSES, EXPORT CUTTING PREMISES AND EXPORT COLD STORES

PART I requirements applicable in all export slaughtehouses and export cutting premises

1.  No person shall engage in the handling of meat if he is likely to contaminate such meat. In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, no person shall engage in the handling of meat if he is suffering from or suspected of suffering from, or is the carrier of, typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever or any other salmonella infection, or dysentery, infectious hepatitis, scarlet fever or any staphylococcal infection likely to cause food poisoning, or is suffering from or suspected of suffering from infectious tuberculosis or any infectious skin disease.

2.  No person shall engage in the handling of meat if he is—

(a) undertaking any other activity which may involve any risk of contamination of the meat; or

(b) wearing a bandage on the hands or forearms, other than a waterproof dressing protecting a non-infected wound.

3.—(1) Every person engaged in the handling of meat shall obtain a certificate signed by a registered medical practitioner certifying that there is no objection on public health grounds to his engagement in the handling of meat, and every such medical certificate shall be produded on request to an offical veterinary surgeon or to a veterinary officer.

(2) Every medical certificate referred to in sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph shall be renewed annually unless an official veterinary surgeon requires its renewal at any other time.

4.  Every person engaged in slaughtering animals or working on or handling meat shall wash his hands with hot water and soap or other detergent frequently during the working day and each time work is started and resumed.

5.  The occupier shall ensure that all equipment and implements which come into contact with meat are kept in a good state of repair.

6.  Smoking shall be prohibited in work rooms and store rooms.

7.  The occupier shall—

(a) ensure that sawdust or any other similar substance is not spread on floors;

(b) ensure that all detergents, disinfectants and pesticides used in the premises are of such a kind, and are used in such a manner, as not to affect the fitness of any meat.

PART II additional requirements applicable in export cutting premises not subject to the slaughterhouses (hygiene) regulations 1977

1.  Every person engaged in handling meat shall—

(a) wear boots and overalls or other suitable protective clothing, including covering for the hair of the head, all of which articles shall be washable and be kept as clean as is reasonably practicable; and any person liable to come into contact with any meat shall wear adequate protective clothing;

(b) wash his hands and arms with hot water and soap or other detergent immediately after contact with meat which he knows or suspects to be diseased;

(c) ensure that all equipment and implements which come into contact with meat are cleansed and disinfected—

(i) prior to commencement of work,

(ii) frequently during the course of each working day,

(iii) immediately after any contact with meat known or suspected to be diseased,

(iv) before re-use after any break in work, and

(v) at the end of each working day.

2.  No person shall—

(a) urinate, defecate or spit except in a sanitary convenience;

(b) bring into or keep in any part of export cutting premises containing meat any article liable to prejudice the maintenance of hygiene or the proper performance of the functions reserved to that part of the export cutting premises.

3.  The occupier of the export cutting premises shall—

(a) take all reasonable steps to prevent the entry into the premises of dogs, cats, birds, vermin and insects, and take immediate steps to remove any which may be present;

(b) ensure that the premises and any plant, equipment, machinery or implements contained therein are not used for any purpose which is not properly connected with the preparation and storage of meat, and that instruments for cutting meat are used solely for that purpose;

(c) ensure that meat and the base of receptacles which contain or may at any time contain meat are not allowed to come into contact with the floor;

(d) cause the floor and wall surfaces of the room or rooms provided in accordance with paragraph 1(a) and 1(b) of Part I of Schedule 2 to be cleaned and disinfected as often as may be necessary to maintain them at all times in a satisfactory state of cleanliness and in any event to be thoroughly cleaned when cutting up is completed for the day;

(e) where the premises are supplied with water which is not clean and wholesome for the purpose of fire fighting or the operation of refrigerators or steam boilers, ensure that any such water is not used for any other purpose;

(f) ensure that all detergents, disinfectants and pesticides used in the premises are of such a kind and are used in such a manner as not to affect the fitness of any meat.

PART III requirements applicable in export cold stores

1.  Smoking shall be prohibited in work rooms and store rooms and no person shall undertake any other activity which may involve risk of contamination of the meat.

2.  Every person engaged in the handling of unwrapped meat and meat wrapped only in stockinette shall—

(a) obtain an annual certificate signed by a registered medical practitioner certifying that there is no objection on public health grounds to his engagement in the handling of meat, and every such medical certificate shall be produced on request to an official veterinary surgeon or to a veterinary officer;

(b) wear clean and appropriate protective clothing to permit the hygienic handling of meat including covering for the hair of the head;

(c) wash his hands with hot water and soap or other detergent frequently during the working day, and each time work is started and resumed;

(d) was his hands and arms with hot water and soap or other detergent immediately after contact with meat which he knows or suspects to be diseased;

(e) ensure that all equipment and instruments which come into contact with meat are cleansed and disinfected.

3.  The occupier shall—

(a) ensure that all detergents, disinfectants and pesticides used in the premises are of such a kind and are used in such a manner as not to affect the fitness of any meat;

(b) ensure that sawdust or any similar substance is not spread on floors;

(c) take all reasonable steps to prevent the entry into the premises of dogs, cats, birds, vermin and insects, and take immediate steps to remove any which may be present;

(d) ensure that meat and the base of receptacles for meat do not come into contact with the floor.