Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
non-slip. Operatives are required to wear easily cleaned,
safety (non-slip) footwear, and no one should be allowed
on a slaughterhall floor, in particular, without proper
footwear. In certain places, it is wise to incorporate car-
borundum or aluminium oxide in order to provide a
non-slip surface. Pin rolling or grooving of the surface
also assists in preventing slipping.
Walls and floors may be made of concrete, granolithic
concrete or tiles. Wall sheets are often used in the form of
plastic laminates and stainless steel sheets. Although it is
the most expensive, stainless steel is undoubtedly the
most satisfactory; it is very strong, easily cleaned and
completely non-corrosive and does not flake, cause dis-
coloration or affect the taste of meat and offal.
the form of efficient north lights. North-facing windows
will largely preclude solar gain, but frosted glass or glass
fitted with solar film will also reduce solar radiation.
The type of lighting must not distort colours. It is
generally recommended that the overall intensity should
not be less than:
540 lux at all inspection points
220 lux in workrooms
110 lux in other areas
These intensities of light are usually taken at levels of
0.9 m from the floor, except in inspection areas where
the height is 1.5 m. Protective shields must be fitted to
lights in areas where fresh meat and offal are exposed to
prevent contamination from shattered glass.
Doors
These should be wide enough to allow passage of product
without contact with the doorway. A width of 1.5 m is
usually adequate. Doors must be constructed of rust-
resistant material which is easily cleaned. Double-acting
doors should have a glass (reinforced) panel at eye level.
Plastic strip doors, because of difficulty of cleaning and
their liability to scratch, crack or break, are unsuitable
except where packaged product is moved.
Ventilation
Adequate ventilation must be provided to prevent exces-
sive heat, steam and condensation and to eliminate or
reduce airborne pathogens which may present a health
and safety risk to operatives or public health risk to
consumers. Ventilation also prevents the accumulation
of odours, dust, etc., but it should not cause draughts and
thus another potential hazard to operatives. Particularly
in multistorey plants, draughts arising from lift wells,
stairways, chutes, etc. should be prevented. Opening
ventilators and windows should be screened and internal
window sills sloped.
Equipment design
Since mechanical handling systems and other types of
equipment used in meat plants usually form the major
part of the overall cost, it is wise to consider design
aspects as well as operating efficiency, durability, etc.
Within the EU, the requirements for hygienic design of
equipment for foodstuffs are contained within the
machinery directive, 2006/42/EC. These are translated
into the food processing machinery standard, BS EN
1672-2+A1: 2009 or ISO 4159. Faults in construction
and design include:
Floor and wall finishes
All parts of the meat plant must be capable of being eas-
ily cleaned. This means that all floors and wall coverings
or finishes should be non-toxic and non-absorbent, the
floors also being non-slip. The floors of slaughterhalls,
lairages, workrooms and chill rooms should be coved at
wall junctions to assist effective cleaning.
It is recommended that walls should be faced with a
smooth, durable, impermeable material with a light-col-
oured washable finish. Ceilings should also be smooth,
hard and impervious and all overhead structures easily
cleaned.
The types of operations encountered in abattoirs inev-
itably involve
impact damage
. Good design and layout
can do much to prevent this, as can the employment of
careful, skilful operatives. Surface materials should be
capable of withstanding impact; doors should be wide
enough to allow easy passage of personnel, carcases and
offal on conveyorised lines and trucks; and their jambs
should be protected with metal covers (they should be
solid where necessary and self-closing.
Abattoir operations entail wet floors on which quanti-
ties of fat and blood are usually present. While floor
finishes should be easily cleaned, they should also be
1
Use of wood for equipment and tools. Wood cannot
be cleaned and disinfected with ease and is liable to
deteriorate rapidly in moist surroundings.
2
Use of unsuitable fastenings which can work loose and
contaminate the product.
3
Provision of ledges, ridges, crevices, joints and corners
where meat, fat, etc. can lodge and cause bacterial
build-up.
4
Badly recessed nuts, bolts and screws can also gather
scraps and hinder cleansing.
5
Use of expanded metal for decks, walkways and stair-
cases especially near conveyors. All these should be
constructed from non-slip solid plate.
6
Metal joints which are rough. Joints should be welded
and then ground to a smooth finish.
7
Fixed covers for conveyors that make cleaning difficult.
