Non-Tariff Barriers

Non-Tariff Measure

NTM classification

A69: Other requirements relating to production or post-production processes not elsewhere specified 

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

44.(1) Thermo-control records must be available on request by the provincial executive officer or national executive officer.
(2)Checks must be done according to the requirements of the Hygiene Management System in practice
Hygiene Management System (HMS)
49. The owner of an abattoir must -
(a) provide the provincial executive officer with a documented Hygiene Management System containing detailed information on control measures or programmes required to monitor identified control points, including the methods of monitoring or checking these control points, for approval;
{b) provide relevant records of observations, checks, measurements or results;
(c) provide sampling programmes for laboratory analyses, as well as names of laboratories to do the required analyses;
(d) provide written accounts of decisions relating to corrective actions when taken; and
(e) assess the hygiene status of the abattoir by means of the Hygiene Assessment System (HAS) and provide results to the provincial executive officer for verification as frequently as he or she may require.
Document management system
50. A document management system must provide for -
(a) the retrieval of documents relating to an identified slaughter batch;
(b) the recording of each slaughter batch containing information regarding date of slaughter, species slaughtered, mass, quantities, identification and destination for carcasses as well as cut meat; and
(c) a documented product recall procedure approved by the provincial executive officer.
Schematic plan of abattoir
51. The owner must prepare an updated schematic plan of the abattoir to include details of -
(a) all the different areas on each level;
(b) all the different rooms in each area identified, indicating the process or operation including the capacities or rates of operation that take place in such rooms;
(c) the flow of the product;
(d) ancillary structures on the premises;
(e) the required temperature as well as the capacity of each room where temperature is controlled;
(f) the different ablution facilities for workers in clean and dirty areas as well as the personnel entrances to the different areas;
(g) all entrances to rooms, areas and building; and
(h} boundaries, indicating entrances and exits to and from premises.
Flow diagram of slaughter process
52. The owner must prepare a flow diagram of the slaughter process which must include -
(a) all steps involved in the process, including delays during or between steps, from receiving of the animals to placing of the end product on the market; and
(b) details and technical data including equipment layout and characteristics, sequence of all steps, technical parameters of operations, flow of products, segregation of clean and dirty areas, hygienic environment of the abattoir, personnel routes and hygienic practices, product storage and distribution procedures.
Potential hazards
53. The owner must prepare a list of all potential biological, chemical or physical hazards that may occur at each step of the process, including -
(a) unacceptable contamination or recontamination of a biological, chemical or physical nature;
(b) unacceptable survival or multiplication of pathogenic micro-organisms; and
(c) unacceptable production or persistence of toxins or other undesirable products of microbial metabolism.
Prevention of hazards
54. The owner must prepare written hygiene management programmes (HMP) for approval by the provincial executive officer, to prevent, eliminate or reduce hazards mentioned in regulation 53 to acceptable levels and must -
(a) ensure that management programmes for each hazard is implemented;
(b) establish critical limits for control points;
(c) establish a monitoring or checking system for each control point; and
(d) prepare written corrective actions that must be taken without hesitation when a deviation is observed and such corrective action must specify -
(i) the persons responsible to implement the corrective action;
(ii) the means and action required for each hazard;
(iii) the action to be taken with regard to the meat having been processed during the period when the process was out of control; and
(iv) that a written record of measures taken must be kept.
Hygiene Management Programmes (HMP)
55. The owner of an abattoir must implement -
(a) a HMP for ante-mortem inspection, including control measures to -
(i) ensure that all animals which for some reason or other cannot be processed into safe meat are identified and handled in accordance with Part VIII;
(ii) identify animals with diseases and conditions of which symptoms may not be visible during post-mortem meat inspections;
(iii) identify animals with zoonotic diseases;
(iv) identify animals with highly contagious diseases or diseases controlled under the Animal Health Act, 2002 (Act No. 7 of 2002); and
(v) identify animals that pose a high contamination risk, such as those with septic conditions or animals that are excessively soiled; and
(vi) ensure that injured animals in obvious pain are presented for emergency slaughter or preferential slaughter without undue delay
(b) a HMP for slaughter and dressing, including -
(i) control measures (CM) to ensure that no contamination of meat and edible products occur from -
(aa) the external surface of the animal slaughtered;
(bb) wind and dust;
(cc) the contents of hollow organs;
(dd) persons working with edible products; or (ee) contact with unclean objects;
(ii) slaughter and dressing procedures which must limit any contamination to the absolute minimum;
(iii) training of all workers in correct slaughter techniques including principles of hygiene practices which must be monitored;
(iv) a programme for the daily checking of carcasses for soiling to provide for regular checking of a representative sample of carcasses throughout the day on a random basis and to determine the levels of contamination of carcasses;
(c) a HMP for meat inspection, in terms of which the supervisory registered meat inspector (SMI) assisted by the registered veterinarian must monitor meat inspection by means of implementation of written control measures to ensure -
(i) that meat inspection is done according to Part VI;
(ii) the competency of the meat inspectors and meat examiners;
(iii) the personal hygiene of the meat inspectors and meat examiners;
(iv) that heads, red and rough offal are correlated to the carcasses of origin;
(v) the security of detained carcasses and organs:
(vi) the security of provisionally passed carcasses and organs;
(vii) the security of the stamp of approval;
(viii) the security of condemned material;
(ix) the implementation of standard operational procedures (SOP's) for - (aa) emergency slaughter;
(bb) preferential slaughter;
(cc) provisional slaughter;
(dd) slaughter of cattle which have reacted positively to Brucellosis and Tuberculosis tests done on the farm and branded with the "C" and 'T' brand marks;
(ee) dirty animals; and
(ff) dropped meat;
(d) a HMP for personal hygiene of workers in terms of which -
(i) a general code of conduct, approved by a registered inspector, for personnel and in particular for workers who come into direct contact with meat and edible products, must be available;
(ii) a training programme, as well as registers of attendance, for all personnel to apply the principles of the code of conduct referred to in subparagraph (i) must be available; and
(iii) records of surveillance and supervision including records of disciplinary action in cases of repetitive misconduct or non-compliance must be available;
(e) a HMP for medical fitness of workers in terms of which -
(i) records of initial medical certification that workers are fit to work with meat and edible products, prior to employment, must be available; and
(ii) records of daily fitness checks, including corrective actions applied in cases of illness and injury, must be available;
(f) a HMP for the temperature of water in sterilizers and maintenance of sterilizers in terms of which control measures to ensure the continuous availability and accessibility of sterilizers in good working order at water temperatures of 82 °C, including registers for daily checks indicating frequency of checks as well as corrective action procedures in cases of non-­ compliance, must be available;
(g) a HMP for the availability of liquid soap and soap dispensers. toilet paper. and disposable towels, in terms of which control measures to ensure the continuous availability and accessibility of liquid soap and soap dispensers for hand-washing purposes, toilet paper and disposable towels at pre-identified points must be available;
(h) a HMP for sanitation and continuous cleaning including a cleaning schedule providing -
(i) a fist of all the areas to be cleaned;
(ii) a list of all the rooms that have to be cleaned within every area;
(iii) the name of the person responsible for the cleaning of each area, section or room;
(iv) for each room within a particular area. a detailed description of the cleaning of each structure, including -
{aa) the frequency of cleaning;
(bb) step by step methods of cleaning;
(cc) data of the chemicals which are used, such as registration data, safeness, dilutions. application prescriptions;
(dd) the correct application of the detergents such as dilution, temperatures and contact times;
(ee) the rinsing off of applied chemicals; and
(ff) the results to be obtained as an objective of the cleaning programme;
(v) an addendum for each room in which the cleaning of each structure must be described in detail including aspects such as method, frequency and target results;
(vi) for the training of cleaning teams in the execution of these programmes;
(vii) for control over the storage of detergents to prevent contamination of edible products;
(viii) a detailed description for continuous cleaning on the processing line during processing, which must include -
(aa) a list of all the actions in this programme including the cleaning of moving equipment and crates; and
(bb) a step by step description of each action;
(ix) for these programmes to be approved by a registered inspector; and
(x) for laboratory checks as control of effectiveness of the cleaning programmes to be instituted and documented;
(i) a HMP for availability and quality of water in terms of which -
(i) the owner of the abattoir must account for the source of water supply and the status of such water;
(ii) the owner must be able to demonstrate the water distribution system within the abattoir and provide an updated schematic plan of the water distribution on the premises;
(iii) a sampling programme must be followed to ensure that all outlets, including water hoses are checked on a repeated consistent basis within an allotted period of time, and the sampling procedure must be described; and
(iv) the owner is responsible to ensure that water used in the abattoir is potable and that records of microbiological and chemical water test results are available;
(j) a HMP for vermin control in terms of which the owner of the abattoir must provide a written control programme for each vermin type for approval by the provincial executive officer, and such programme must include -
(i) schematic drawings indicating the position of bait stations;
(ii) a poison register, including specifications for the use of different poisons; and
(iii) training programmes for persons working with poisons;
(k) a HMP for waste disposal, including condemned material, in terms of which -
(i) the owner of the abattoir must provide a written control programme for the removal of each different category of waste material including general refuse removal for approval by the provincial executive officer; and
(ii) security arrangements to prevent condemned material from entering the food chain must be described;
{I) a HMP for in contact wrapping and packing materials in terms of which -
(i) the owner of the abattoir must provide a written control programme addressing the suitability as well as the storage and handling of all in contact wrapping and packing material;
(ii) control measures to prevent contamination in store rooms must be provided; and
(iii) control measures to prevent contamination of wrapping materials must be provided;
(m) a HMP for maintenance, providing for the owner of the abattoir to provide a document addressing the routine maintenance of all equipment and structures; and
(n) a HMP for thermos control in terms of which -
(i) a plan must be provided that indicates the layout of all the chillers, freezers and processing rooms where temperature control of the rooms is required including -
(aa) each temperature controlled room or area; (bb) the number of the room or area;
(cc) the temperature requirement of each room; and (dd) the throughput of each room;
(ii) each room must be equipped with a recording thermograph, or equivalent means of monitoring and recording must be used, that indicates the temperature measurements in the room on a continuous basis;
{iii) the graphs or data must provide the actual time and temperature as well as the correct date;
(iv) annual calibration and certification to this effect must be available;
(v) records in respect of regular testing of digital thermographs and meters against a certified fluid in glass thermometer, done by the owner, must be available;
(vi) placing of the thermo-sensors within a room must be representative of the temperature in that room;
(vii) if a centralized computer system is used for this purpose all the relevant temperatures must be recorded on an ongoing basis at least every 30 minutes;
(viii) the temperature status of every room must be checked at least every 12 hours by the owner to ensure maintenance of temperatures and all deviations must be accounted for;
(ix) checks by the owner must be recorded on the temperature control records;
(x) any deviations from the required temperature must receive immediate corrective attention;
{xi) the hygiene manager must be notified immediately in every case where a temperature breakdown has occurred;
{xii) records must be available for inspection by the national executive officer or provincial executive officer; and
(xiii) the hygiene manager must indicate daily control checks by way of signature on the records
HYGIENE REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONS ENTERING ABATTOIRS
[Section 11{1){f)]
Visitors entering an abattoir
56. All persons entering an abattoir including management, visitors and maintenance personnel must be issued, by the owner, with clean suitable protective clothing complying to sub regulation 59(1).
Medical records of employees
57.(1) Before employment at an abattoir or its cutting plant, medical certification must confirm that a person is -
(a) healthy and physically able to work as a meat handler; and
(b) not a carrier of, or suffering from, a communicable disease.
(2) all medical records pertaining to medical examinations and daily fitness checks must be available to the provincial executive officer or the registered inspector.
Health checks
58.The owner must ensure that all personnel -
(a) are examined daily, before starting work, for adverse health conditions such as suppurating abscesses, sores, cuts and abrasions which may pose a food safety risk, and persons so affected may not work with edible products unless such conditions are covered with a firmly secured waterproof dressing so that the risk of contamination is excluded; and
(b) who were ill for three days or longer, present medical certificates to indicate that they are now fit to handle foodstuffs.
Protective clothing
59.(1)Protective clothing must be light colored, clean, in good repair and must include safety hats, hair nets, beard nets, head and shoulder capes, white gumboots and safety boots compliant with hygiene requirements and waterproof aprons as required by the work situation.
(2) At the start of each working day or shift, the owner must provide personnel with protective clothing.
(3) The owner must ensure that such clean protective clothing is stored and handled so that it does not make contact with private clothes.
(4) Private clothes must be kept in a locker that is reserved for that purpose only.
(5) Protective clothing must be changed or cleaned when it becomes contaminated by obnoxious matter or becomes dirty.
(6) The workers in the clean and dirty areas must wear distinctive protective clothing, respectively.
(7) Protective clothing must completely cover all personal clothing.
(8) Personnel may change into protective clothing only in appropriate change rooms and items of protective clothing left in the abattoir working areas may only be placed or hung in areas designated for these items.
(9) Personnel may not sit or lie on the ground in their protective clothing during rest periods and may never wear protective clothing outside the premises.
(10) The abattoir owner must provide laundry facilities or make use of a laundry service and personnel must not be allowed to take protective clothing home to be washed.
Injuries
60.(1) All cuts and. minor injuries must be covered with a durable waterproof dressing, surgical gloves or rubber finger guards.
(2} Personnel must immediately report any injury to the owner.
Showering and washing of hands
61. Personnel who handle foodstuffs must -
(a) shower before assuming duties; and
(b) wash hands and forearms with a liquid germicidal soap and running water immediately after they become soiled or after having used a toilet or when entering a working area.
Prohibitions
62. (1}Jewellery, including traditional objects, may not be worn in an area where edible products are handled.
(2) Fingernails must be short, clean and free of nail varnish.
(3) Eating, drinking or using or handling tobacco are not allowed in any area where meat is handled.
(4) Drugs, liquor or any intoxicating substance may not be brought into any part of the premises and a drugged or intoxicated person may not be allowed to enter any part of a meat handling plant
(5) Personnel must refrain from any contaminatory actions.
Training
63.All personnel must be trained in hygiene procedures and personal hygiene matters by the owner, and training records must be kept.
81. (1) All "dead on arrival" and "dead in pen" animals must be disposed of as condemned material in terms of Part VIII.
(2) Prior to flaying or cutting up for disposal or inspection of such animals, a blood smear to rule out the possibility of Anthrax is required.
(3) No dead or dying animal may be brought into the abattoir premises, unless it is part of a consignment of healthy animals, or may be removed from the abattoir premises.
(4) No carcass or part thereof that has been condemned may be brought into any part of the abattoir containing edible products.
(5) It is the owner's choice to have a post mortem inspection done except where required by a registered inspector or where a controlled disease under the Animal Health Act, 2002 (Act No. 7 of 2002), is suspected in which case a state veterinarian must be notified.
(6) The place and method of flaying dead animals for the purpose of regaining skins must be done according to a protocol approved by the provincial executive officer.
Quarantine
82. (1) All animals suffering from a controlled disease contemplated in the Animal Health Act, 2002 (Act No.7 of 2002), must be moved to the abattoir under cover of a "red cross" permit issued by a state veterinarian at the farm and the arrival of the consignment at the abattoir must be confirmed to such state veterinarian.
{2) If an animal is suffering from or is suspected of suffering from a controlled disease contemplated in the Animal Health Act, 2002 (Act No.7 of 2002), or if any animal has tested positive on the farm for brucellosis or tuberculosis and bears a C or T brand mark, and is not accompanied by a "red cross" permit, a state veterinarian of the Provincial Directorate: Veterinary Services, in whose area the abattoir is situated, must be notified immediately.
(3) In the event of an abattoir being declared a prohibited or restricted area under the Animal Health Act, 2002 (Act No.7 of 2002), the provincial executive officer may instruct the owner to slaughter an animal under conditions laid down by that officer.
(4) Vehicles that transported animals suffering from a controlled disease must be washed and disinfected as determined by a state veterinarian before leaving the abattoir premises 

Reference of the measure

Part II C Section 44, Part III 49-55, PartIV 56-63, Part VI A section 81 & 82 

Measure also domestic

Yes 

Products affected by the measure.

Description

Meat 

Countries/Regions affected by the measure.

Description

All countries