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9.Slaughter and Dressing Facilities

• Scope
• 9.1Outcome
• 9.2General Principles
  • 9.2.1
  • 9.2.2Location
  • 9.2.3 Restraining and stunning facilities
  • 9.2.4Stun area as food area or inedible area
    • 9.2.4.1
    • 9.2.4.2
  • 9.2.5 Bleeding area
  • 9.2.6 Confinement of blood
  • 9.2.7Suspension and transfer of carcasses
    • 9.2.7.1
    • 9.2.7.2
    • 9.2.7.3
    • 9.2.7.4
  • 9.2.8Moving chain systems
  • 9.2.9Retain facilities
    • 9.2.9.1
    • 9.2.9.2
    • 9.2.9.3
  • 9.2.10Carcass wash facilities
  • 9.2.11Inedible and condemned material facilities
  • 9.2.12Non-food contact surfaces
  • 9.2.13Inspection functions
    • 9.2.13.1
    • 9.2.13.2
  • 9.2.14Byproduct facilities

9.Slaughter and Dressing Facilities

Scope

This section outlines the specific requirements of facilities where live animals are slaughtered and dressed, and where game is dressed, within any of the following categories of premises:

AB, ME, PH, DSP, GIP, PPH, APH, RSH

9.1Outcome

Slaughter and dressing facilities shall be designed and constructed to ensure hygienic slaughter and dressing, hygienic product flows, compliance with animal welfare requirements, and facilitation of inspection functions.

9.2General Principles

9.2.1	The design, construction and installation of slaughter and dressing facilities shall be suitable for the intended operations of the premises and shall ensure compliance with the operational requirements of slaughter and dressing procedures.
	Refer also to Meat Industry Hygiene Council, Industry Standard 5: Slaughter and Dressing; and Venison Industry Standards Council, Industry Agreed Standard 5: Slaughter and Dressing.

9.2.2Location

The location of the slaughter and dressing facilities shall provide for ready access of animals from holding facilities.

Provision should be made for access by emergency slaughter animals unable to use the entrance race.

9.2.3 Restraining and stunning facilities

Animal restraining and stunning facilities shall be designed and constructed to ensure compliance with operational requirements relating to animal welfare, humane slaughter and inducement of insensibility.

9.2.4Stun area as food area or inedible area

The stun area may be considered to be a food area or an inedible area depending on its access to the slaughter facilities and the animal holding facilities.

9.2.4.1	The stun area is classified as an inedible area when it is part of the animal holding facilities and physically separated from the slaughter facilities.
9.2.4.2	The stun area is classified as a food area when it is part of the slaughter facilities and physically separated from the animal holding facilities.
	The stunning operator may move through a door from the slaughter facilities to the lead-up ramp of the animal holding facilities, provided the area is kept clean and not used by personnel working in the animal holding facilities.
	Where access to the lead-up ramp is permitted, the stunning operator shall not enter any other part of the slaughter facility, other than to move to the landing area where animals are shackled, provided this area is walled off to preclude any possible contact, splash, contamination, etc., from the rest of the slaughter facility and access by other slaughter personnel is prohibited.

9.2.5 Bleeding area

The bleeding area shall be designed and constructed to ensure compliance with operational requirements relating to the bleeding of animals and the inducement of permanent insensibility.

9.2.6 Confinement of blood

The bleeding area shall be designed and constructed to confine blood to that area and facilitate its removal without excessive ponding.

Experience has shown that the use of grating over the floor in the bleeding area helps in achieving operational hygiene requirements.

9.2.7Suspension and transfer of carcasses

9.2.7.1	Facilities shall be provided to suspend carcasses and their parts off the floor prior to sticking. They shall be transferred by a means that will ensure adequate separation of carcasses and their parts so as to preclude contact until they have passed post-mortem inspection.
9.2.7.2	Facilities shall be provided to ensure pig carcasses are separated from the point of dehairing and/or the associated scraping table until the heads, viscera and carcasses have passed inspection.
9.2.7.3	The design and construction of slaughter and dressing facilities for other animals intended to be processed skin-on shall preclude the contamination of carcasses by hair, scurf, splash and condensation after scalding and dehairing operations.
9.2.7.4	Carcass transfer and suspension systems shall be designed and constructed to prevent unprotected carcasses or parts coming in contact with non-food contact surfaces prior to post mortem inspection. Refer also to IS 2: Section 6.6 and to Manual 3.

9.2.8Moving chain systems

Moving chain dressing systems shall be provided with appropriately located chain stopping devices to facilitate hygienic dressing and inspection.

9.2.9Retain facilities

9.2.9.1	Adequate clearly identified facilities shall be provided, where necessary, for retaining carcasses or their parts for the purpose of further inspection or treatment.
9.2.9.2	Retain facilities shall be equipped or operated to ensure carcasses or their parts are separated.

Mechanical means of carcass separation has proven more reliable than manual methods.

9.2.9.3

Retain facilities shall be located to permit ready access and supervision by an inspector.

9.2.10Carcass wash facilities

Facilities provided for carcass washing or for washing and flushing of heads shall be designed and constructed to contain and duct wash water directly to the drainage system and prevent spraying or splashing or aerosol contamination of other product and areas.

9.2.11Inedible and condemned material facilities

Adequate facilities shall be provided for the handling, collection and disposal of inedible and condemned material so as to prevent contamination of product. Facilities and/or equipment shall be suitably identified.

9.2.12Non-food contact surfaces

Facilities, or alternatively appropriate procedures, shall be in place for the handling of product that has contacted non-food contact surfaces. Refer also to Manual 3.

Equipment capable of hoisting large animals should be provided where appropriate.

9.2.13Inspection functions

9.2.13.1	Adequate facilities, equipment and unobstructed working space shall be provided to allow inspection functions to be effectively carried out.
9.2.13.2	Adequate facilities shall be provided to ensure each carcass and its parts are correlated and presented so as to facilitate inspection.

Many operational procedures are routinely monitored. There should be sufficient room for such checks to be performed.

9.2.14Byproduct facilities

Byproduct facilities adjoining slaughter and dressing facilities shall be physically separated from slaughter facilities, designed and constructed on the basis of good sanitary design in accordance with the requirements for byproducts facilities, and fit for purpose.

Refer also to IS 2: Section 16.