The Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995

Regulations 4(2)(a)(i) and (10), 8(1)(e) and 15(1)

SCHEDULE 2 CONSTRUCTION, LAYOUT AND EQUIPMENT OF SLAUGHTERHOUSES (EXCEPT LOW THROUGHPUT SLAUGHTERHOUSES)—ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

1.  In addition to the general requirements contained in Schedule 1 each slaughterhouse shall have—

(a) a means of controlling access to, and exit from, the premises;

(b) a suitable and sufficient lairage which—

(i) shall be adequately lit so as to enable the inspection of animals; and shall be so constructed that its walls and floors are of impermeable, durable and, in the case of floors, non-slip material and shall be so constructed and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable them to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected;

(ii) shall include facilities for watering the animals and a lockable pen or pens with separate drainage in which animals which are diseased or injured, or suspected of being diseased or injured, may be isolated from other animals;

(c) a suitable, sufficient and suitably equipped slaughterhall for the slaughter of animals and dressing of slaughtered animals;

(d) a suitable, sufficient and separate slaughterhall for the slaughter and dressing of any animal which is diseased or injured or suspected of being diseased or injured, where such animals are received at the slaughterhouse, which shall be capable or being securely locked; save that such a room shall not be required if—

(i) the animal is slaughtered after completion of the slaughter of animals which are not diseased or injured or suspected of being diseased or injured and steps are taken to prevent contamination of fresh meat;

(ii) the premises are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected under supervision of an inspector or OVS before being used again for the slaughtering of animals which are not diseased or injured or suspected of being diseased or injured; and

(iii) suitable and sufficient facilities are provided for the introduction of the body of an animal which is diseased or injured or suspected of being diseased or injured into the slaughterhall in a manner which will not prejudice the hygienic operation of the slaughterhouse;

(e) 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;

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

(g) suitable and sufficient facilities, capable of being securely locked, for the isolation of fresh meat requiring further examination by an inspector or OVS; 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 fresh meat;

(h) a separate room or rooms capable of being securely locked for the retention of fresh 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 and lockable receptacles with closely fitting covers are provided which are capable of being securely locked and which shall be used only for holding fresh meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption and are clearly marked to that effect;

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

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

(j) subject to paragraph 3 below, 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 slaughterhall immediately after the post-mortem inspection and taken to the room or facilities referred to in sub-paragraph (h) above; or

(ii) the closed circuit mechanical equipment referred to in paragraph 3 below is provided;

(k) a suitable and sufficient room for the dressing of guts and tripe if this is carried out in the slaughterhouse; save that where a room is provided in accordance with sub-paragraph (j) 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;

(l) 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 slaughterhouse other than on the slaughterline;

(m) a suitable and sufficient room or place for the wrapping and packaging of offal if this is done in the slaughterhouse; 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;

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

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

(p) a suitable and sufficient room or rooms for the storage of horns, 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 (o) above for the storage of hides and skins that room shall also be regarded as suitable and sufficient for the storage of horns, hooves, fat and other waste material;

(q) a room suitably equipped for carrying out an examination for trichinellosis where such examination is carried out in the slaughterhouse;

(r) an OVS room;

(s) a manure bay save that, where sheep are slaughtered, a manure pit may be used if manure is stored within the boundary of the slaughterhouse and the receptacles referred to in sub-paragraph 1(g) of Schedule 1 are insufficient for holding such material; (such a bay or pit to have impervious walls and floors and to be drained into suitable outlets);

(t) a suitable and separate place (which may be situated outside the boundary of the slaughterhouse) and adequate equipment, for cleaning and disinfecting vehicles used for the transport of animals;

(u) a suitable and separate place (which may be situated outside the boundary of the slaughterhouse) and adequate equipment, for cleaning and disinfecting vehicles used for the transport of fresh meat.

2.  In the case of the slaughterhouse where swine and other animals are slaughtered, and a separate room for the slaughter and dressing of swine does not exist,

(a) the slaughterhouse shall, where this takes place, contain suitable and sufficient accommodation for the scalding, depilation, scraping and singeing of swine;

(b) such operations shall be performed at a different time from the slaughter and dressing of other animals or in a place which is separated from the slaughterline for other species either by an open space of at least 5 metres or by a partition at least 3 metres high;

(c) similar separation shall be required between the sections of any slaughterline for swine in the event of any bends in that line bringing subsequent operations into the vicinity of the section used for scalding, depilation, scraping and singeing.

3.  The room and facilities referred to in sub-paragraph 1(j) above shall not be required in any slaughterhouse in which the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines is carried out in the slaughterhouse by means of closed circuit mechanical equipment which has a suitable system of ventilation and which satisfies the following requirements, that is to say—

(i) the equipment is installed and arranged in such a manner that operations for separating intestines from the stomach and for the emptying and cleaning of stomachs can be carried out hygienically and the equipment is located in a special place which is clearly separated from any exposed fresh meat by a partition stretching from the floor to a height of at least three metres and surrounding the area where these operations are carried out;

(ii) the design and operation of the equipment effectively prevents any contamination of fresh meat;

(iii) an air extractor is installed in the equipment which eliminates odours and any risk of aerosol contamination;

(iv) the equipment contains a device for ensuring the closed-circuit evacuation of the residual water and the content of stomachs to the slaughterhouse drainage system;

(v) the routes followed by stomachs to and from the equipment are clearly separated and at a suitable distance from the routes followed by other fresh meat;

(vi) stomachs are removed from such equipment in a hygienic manner immediately they have been emptied and cleaned; and

(vii) staff handling stomachs do not handle, or have access to any other fresh meat.