Non-Tariff Barriers

Non-Tariff Measure

NTM classification

P9: Export measures n.e.s. 

Date when the measure came into force

17 September 2004 

Publication where the measure is specified

GOVERNMENT GAZETIE, 17 SEPTEMBER 2004 

Regulation where the measure is specified

MEAT SAFETY ACT, 2000 (ACT No. 40 OF 2000) 

Country/Region applying the measure

South Africa 

Coded list of objectives

A: Protection of human life and health 

Description of the measure

Requirements for high throughput cutting plants producing for the export market
[See also regulations 33 - 38]
7. Considering the requirements set out in Part II B (1) and (2), to be graded as an export cutting plant -
(a) it must have a maximum throughput which the provincial executive officer may determine on grounds of the capacity of the holding chillers, hourly throughput potential relating to available equipment and facilities as well as chiller or freezer capacity;
(b) the premises must be fenced and provided with a gate to control access of people and animals;
(c) if meat is intended for sale to the public. separate facilities as required by the provincial executive officer must be provided;
(d) separate equipped rooms must be provided for -
(i) receiving of unwrapped carcasses and meat intended for cutting;
(ii} receiving of cartooned meat intended for cutting:
(iii) removal of meat from cartons and wrapping and thawing where applicable;
(iv) cutting and wrapping at an air temperature below 12 °C;
(v) packing, marking and labelling at an air temperature below 12 °C;
(vi) making up of new cartons used for packing meat;
(vii) dispatching of wrapped and packed meat at an air temperature below 12 °C;
(viii} dispatching of unwrapped carcasses and meat at an air temperature below 12 °C;
and
(ix) washing and sterilizing of equipment;
(e) separate bulk storage facilities or rooms must be provided for -
(i) wrapping material; and (ii) packing material;
(f} separate storage facilities or rooms must be provided for items in daily use, such as•-
(i} hand equipment; (ii) wrapping material;
(iii) clean protective clothing; and
(iv) cleaning materials and chemicals;
(g) separate chillers or freezers must be available for -
(i) unwrapped carcasses and meat; (ii}packed meat;
(iii) holding frozen meat if required; and
(iv) blast freezing meat if required;
(h) ablution facilities and toilets must be provided and the access routes to the cutting room
must be under roof;
{i) an entrance for personnel must be provided and must be designed as an ante-chamber for cleaning purposes and must be provided with hand wash-basins, soap dispensers, hand drying facilities, a boot wash, apron wash and hooks, and a refuse container, and separate facilities must be provided for both clean and dirty areas;
(j) sterilizers with water at 82°C must be provided or, as an alternative, a valet system where handheld equipment are collected on a regular basis and sterilized in a central sterilizing facility may be used, with the understanding that strategically placed emergency sterilizers are still required; and
(k) extraction facilities for vapor control must be provided.

B. Structural requirements
(1) Requirements for all abattoirs as well as export approved cutting plants and cold storage units
General
8. Premises must be of such design, construction and finish and must be so equipped, in such condition and so located that they can be used at all times for the purpose for which they were designed, equipped and appointed -
(a) without creating a health hazard; and
(b) in such a manner that meat -
(i) can be handled hygienically on these premises or with equipment on the premises; and
(ii) can be protected by the best available method against contamination or spoilage by poisons, offensive gasses, vapors, odors, smoke, soot deposits, dust, moisture, insects or other vectors or by other physical, chemical or biological contamination or pollution.
Premises
9.(1) All areas on the premises must be rendered dust and mud free.
(2) Provision must be made for storm water drainage.
(3) The abattoir must be equipped with an enclosed drainage system for the disposal of effluent and sewerage.
(4) Vehicle loading and offloading areas for dispatching and receiving of meat must be curbed, paved, drained and roofed.
Cross flow
10. The premises and buildings must be designed to ensure that -
(a) clean and dirty areas and functions are separated;
(b) no cross flow between clean and dirty areas and functions, occurs;
(c) inedible or condemned material can easily be removed on a continuous basis from areas where edible material is handled; and
(d) detained meat can be kept and examined without contaminating passed meat.
Requirements for interior of building and rooms
11. In the abattoir where meat and animal products are handled and in toilets, change rooms and dining facilities -
(a) all rooms must be of such sizes as not to compromise hygiene;
(b) floors and stairways must be -
(i) smooth, impervious, resistant to wear and corrosion and not slippery; and
(ii) free of cracks and open joints;
(c} floor drainage design and construction -
(i) must ensure that floors are sloped at a gradient of not Less than 1:60 towards drainage points or channels;
(ii) must ensure that channels drain from clean to dirty areas;
(iii) must be such that drainage channels are smooth, impervious, washable and provided with grates or covers; and
(iv) must provide all drain inlets with solid traps as well as mechanisms to prevent access of vermin and obnoxious odors into the abattoir;
(d) interior wall surfaces, partitions and pillars must be -
(i} smooth, impervious, washable and light colored;
(ii) rounded at floor to wall, as well as wall to wall, junctions with a minimum radius of 50 mm; and
(iii) rounded on top in case of walls and partitions which are not ceiling height;
(e) interior roof structures or ceilings, must be smooth, impervious, light colored and washable;
(f) doors and doorframes must be smooth, impervious, vermin proof, light colc1ured and corrosion resistant;
(g} personnel entrances must have self-closing doors and be provided with hand wash-basins, boot wash and apron wash facilities and apron hooks;
(h) hatches, where provided, must have an inclined bottom edge sloping towards the dirtier side, and self-closing flaps must be provided when applicable;
(i) chutes must -
(i) be smooth, light colored and corrosion resistant; (ii} open at least 300 mm above the floor;
(iii) be satiable along its entire length; and
(iv) be separate for meat, inedible material and condemned material, respectively;
(j) windows -
(i) must have light colored, corrosion resistant frames and must be glazed;
(ii) must be fitted with fly screens when used for ventilation;
(iii) must have window sills that slope at 45°; and
(iv) may not be opened if it interconnects clean and dirty areas;
(k) all working areas must -
(i) be well ventilated; and
(ii) have artificial or natural lighting at an intensity of at least - (aa) 540 Lux where meat is inspected; and
(bb) 220 Lux in work areas;
(I) all light fittings must be equipped with covers or splinter protectors;
(m) all electrical fittings must be waterproof; and
(n) all wall mounted equipment, structures and fittings must have a clearance of at least 50 mm from the wall.
Requirements for equipment
12. (1) Equipment -
(a) must be corrosion resistant and non-toxic and may not paint or stain meat;
(b) must have surfaces which are smooth, impervious and free of holes, cracks and sharp corners, and must be serializable; and
(c) may not contaminate meat with lubricants.
(2) containers used to hold meat must comply with sub regulation (1) and if the sides and bottoms are constructed with openings they must be designed so that meat cannot protrude through the openings or make contact with the floor.
Requirements for toilets and change rooms
13. (1) Toilets and urinals must be situated in a separate room with separate entrances from the change rooms.
(2) All toilets must be provided with toilet paper holders and toilet paper, hand wash-basins, soap dispensers with germicidal liquid soap and hand drying facilities.
(3) Change rooms and toilets may not have direct access into an area or room where meat is handled.
(4) Workers must be provided with clothing lockers in which to store private clothes separately from protective clothing, ensuring that private clothes and clean protective work clothes do not make contact.
(5) Workers must be provided with separate fly proof facilities in which to keep food.
Sterilizers
14.(1)Sterilizers must be readily accessible and must-
(a) be placed on dressing platforms and within three meters of workstations, adjacent to hand wash-basins in rooms and areas where -
(i) animals are slaughtered;
(ii) carcasses, meat and offal are detained;
(iii) condemned material is handled; or
(iv) meat is otherwise handled;
(b) be corrosion resistant and capable of sterilizing hand utensils and equipment, such as cutters and saws, at a minimum water temperature of 82°C during slaughter; and
(c) have an inlet, overflow and outlet and must drain through a down pipe directly into a closed drainage system or into an open channel, but such drainage water may not flow over the floor across areas where traffic occurs.
(2) Any other method of sterilization must be approved by the provincial executive officer.
Hand wash-basins
15. Hand wash-basins must be readily accessible and be -
(a) placed on dressing platforms and within three meters of workstations in rooms and areas where -
(i) animals are slaughtered;
(ii) carcasses, meat and offal are detained; (iii) condemned material is handled; or
(iv} meat is otherwise handled; (b} corrosion resistant;
(c) provided with taps that are not hand or elbow operated;
(d) supplied with warm running water at not less than 40 °C;
(e) provided with an inlet, overflow and outlet and must drain through a down pipe directly into a closed drainage system or into an open channel, but such drainage water may not flow over the floor across areas where traffic occurs; and
(f) fitted with a dispenser for liquid germicidal soap as well as hand drying facilities, unless the drying of hands is not necessary in the area where the basin is situated.
Apron-on wash-cabinets
16. Apron-on wash-cabinets, required in low and high throughput abattoirs, must be installed near work stations and be constructed so as to contain splashing from personnel washing their aprons while wearing it and must drain directly into a drainage system.
Water supply
17. (1) Water must be under pressure, and must conform to at least Class II according to the SANS 241 standard for drinking water.
(2) Water points must be provided with -
(a) cold water;
(b) water at not less than 40°C and equipped with hose pipes for sanitizing au areas of the abattoir; and
(c) hose reels to store hoses away from the floor unless vertical (drop) hoses are provided.
Containers for inedible, condemned and refuse material
18. (1) Sufficient theft and leak proof containers with tight fitting lids, complying with regulation 14, must be provided to keep and transport condemned material and they must be clearly marked “CONDEMNED".
(2) Containers must be provided to collect and hold inedible material until disposal.
(3) Facilities to collect and hold blood prior to disposal must be provided.
(4) Refuse containers must be provided for the collection of general refuse at various points on the premises.
(5) Areas where waste or refuse containers are kept prior to removal must be impervious, curbed and drained and the containers must be enclosed or fitted with tight fitting lids.
(2) Additional requirements for low and high throughput red meat abattoirs Offloading ramps [See also regulation
19. Offloading ramps, movable or stationary -
(a) must be so constructed to avoid injury of animals during offloading and provide a stable area to facilitate the free movement of animals;
(b) may not have open spaces between the offloading ramp and the vehicle;
(c) must be at the same height of the vehicle for which it is used.
(d) must have guide rails;
(e) must have permanent non-slippery floor at a slope of not more than 20°;
(f) may not have sharp protruding edges or any other features that may cause injury; and
(g) must have adequate artificial lighting if animals are offloaded at night.
Lair ages and holding pens [See also regulations 67; 68]
20. Lair ages and holding pens -
(a) may not be closer than six meters from, and not be situated higher than, the abattoir;
{b) must be constructed of cleanable, non-absorbent and durable material;
{c) must be so constructed and maintained to avoid injury of animals;
{d) must have sides not less than 1.8 m in height for cattle and horses and one meter for sheep, goats and pigs;
(e) must have permanent floors that are curbed and drained;
(f) must be so constructed to render the floors and drain covers non-slippery;
(g) must be fitted with gates which are a minimum of BOO mm wide for sheep, goats, calves and pigs and 1800 mm for cattle and horses;
(h) must be roofed where pigs and sheep or goats are kept;
(i) must be equipped with cold water sprayers for pigs;
U) must be fitted with water troughs at a height of 900 mm for cattle and horses and 300 mm for sheep, goats or pigs or water nipples for pigs;
(k) must have well drained manure slabs for kraal manure prior to removal except if manure is removed directly into a vehicle;
(I) must be provided with wash points, hoses and reels; and
(m) used to isolate suspect animals must in addition to above have solid walls and gate and must not drain across other pens or pose any other contamination risk.
Feeding animals
21. Where animals are fed in a lair age or pen -
(a) a hay rack or food trough which may be removable must be provided;
(b) hay racks must be free from the floor; and
(c) feed must be kept in a storeroom that is vermin proof, specifically provided for this purpose if feed is to be stored on the premises.
Lair age capacity
22. (1) The number of animals per lair age or pen must be limited so as to allow a minimum floor space of -
(a) 1.75m2 per cow or horse:
(b) 0.75m2 per heavy pig or calf; and
(c) 0.50m2 per smaller pig, sheep or goat.
(2) air ages must be provided with permanent notices indicating the capacity per species of each pen.
Lair age passages [See also regulation 69]
23. Passages in lair ages and pens -
(a) must have permanent floors that are curbed and drained in a manner conducive to free movement of animals;
(b) must be so constructed to render the floors and drain covers non-slippery;
(c) may not be less than 1.8 run wide for cattle, horses and at least 1.0 m wide for sheep, goats and pigs; and
{d) must be well maintained and kept free of loose objects.

Crushes or races

24.1.Crushes or races must be well maintained and kept free of loose objects.
2.Must be so constructed to render the 2.floors and drain covers non-slippery.
3.Crushes for herding animals between lair ages and the stunning area must have an inner width of not more than 0.9 m. . •...
4.Crushes must be designed so that the stunning pen is not visible from the crush: li rages.
5.The section of the crush or race that leads directly into the stunning box must have solid sides.

Stunning, hoisting and bleeding [See also regulations 72; 73; 74; 75]
25. (1)For humane restraining of all species immediately prior to stunning there must be provided -
(a) a stunning box, approved by the national executive officer, to restrain cattle and horses;
(b) a restraining pen of 2m x 2m or, preferably, a crowding pen provided with a hinged gate to facilitate floor space reduction for sheep, goats and pigs;
(c) a restraining pen or stunning box must be provided for large, difficult boars and sows; and
(d) any other means of restraining approved by the provincial executive officer.
(2) For stunning of animals there must be provided -
(a) a silenced captive bolt stunner;
(b) an electrical stunning apparatus; or
(c) any other stunning apparatus approved by the national executive officer.
(3) The operational parameters for stunning must be displayed on the stunning apparatus or in the stunning area.
(4) Equipment must be provided to shackle and hoist stunned animals into position, for bleeding.
(5) Facilities for collecting and storing of blood in closed containers prior to removal and disposal must be provided.
(6) The minimum clearance for rails and equipment in bleeding areas -
(a) for cattle bleeding, from rail to floor in the case of a crawl beam is 4.8 m and a fixed rail is 4.4m; and
(b) for sheep bleeding, from rail to floor is 2.3 m.
Dressing and evisceration facilities
26. (1)The minimum clearance for rails and equipment in dressing areas -
(a) for cattle dressing, from rail to floor is 3.4 m; and
(b) for sheep dressing, from rail to floor is 2.2m.
(2) The clearance between equipment and dressing rails must in all cases be such that carcasses do not touch equipment and is at least 1000 mm from walls.
(3) Rails with hooks fixed to a wall must be 400 mm from the wall, and meat hanging from such hooks may not touch the floor or wall.
(4) Rails must be at least 700 mm from columns, pillars or the side of a doorway through which carcasses must pass.
(5) Separate bleeding and dressing areas must be provided in an abattoir if more than one species of animal is slaughtered at the same time.
(6) Dehairing of pigs, including finishing and pre-evisceration wash, may only be done in the pig dehairing area.
Meat inspection facilities

27. (1)Containers, racks and platforms and any other equipment required for meat inspection must be provided in an abattoir.
(2) Marked, leak proof and lockable containers or other means to hand1e and hold condemned and inedible material prior to removal, must be provided.
Chillers
28. (1)Chillers must be provided to hold at least the daily slaughter throughput.
2.The minimum clearance for rails in chillers and freezers -
(a) for cattle and horses or sheep or goats on cradles with extension rods, is 1000 mm from the wall and 900 mm between overhead. Carcass rails; and
(b) for sheep, goats and pigs, if hung separately, is 330 mm from the wall and between overhead carcass rails.

(3) Spacing of units on the line should be such as to ensure airflow between carcasses or sides with a minimum of 660 mm length of rail per unit.
Dispatch areas
29. Dispatch areas must be equipped for -
(a) quartering, marshalling and loading of carcasses;
(b) collection and transport, avoiding cross or contra flow, of used roller-hooks to the sanitation facility; and
(c) sterilization of saws and other cutting utensils.
Wrapping, packing and labelling at export approved cutting plants

114. (1) All labels used on meat must -
(a) be printed on food grade paper or plastic printing material and treated in the same hygienic way as in contact wrapping material; and
(b) include the information required by regulation 112(3) as well as any other information required by the provincial executive officer.

(2) Where products are individually wrapped, food grade wrapping material on which the mark of approval is printed or a label, printed with such mark, must be used and wrapping bearing the mark of approval may not be re-used after opening.

(3) In the case of bulk packing, containers or cartons must be clearly marked with a facsimile of the mark of approval clearly visible and of readable size.

(4) A container must be clearly marked on both ends with information required by the Agricultural Products Standards Act, 1990 (Act No.119 of 1990), as well as -
(a) the name, address and registration number of the establishments in which the meat was packed;
(b) the net weight of the contents:
(c) an accurate description of the contents;
(d) the date packaged or a code which enables the date of packaging to be determined; and
(e) directions regarding the temperature at which the product must be stored. 

Reference of the measure

Part II A 7 ,B 8-29,part VII section114 

Measure also domestic

No 

Products affected by the measure.

Description

Meat 

Countries/Regions affected by the measure.

Description

All countries