(i) A red light that flashes distinctly during the operating cycle of the stimulating equipment.

(ii) An ANSI Z53.1-Color Code sign reading (a) "Danger Electrical Hazard" for stimulating voltage below 50 or (b) "Danger High Voltage" for stimulating voltage above 50.

(iii) An emergency stop button.

(4) Optional Warning Device-Horn or Bell. If a warning horn or bell is installed, the signal shall be audible above background noises in the vicinity, and it shall sound for at least 1 second before each manual stimulation or before the carcass chain is started in an automatic system.

(c) Operation—

(1) Training. Only persons who have received safety instruction by the equipment manufacturer or designee may operate electrical stimulating equipment.

(2) Cleaning and Maintenance. To prevent an electrical shock to personnel, the electricity supplied to the stimulating surfaces shall be locked-off when cleaning, mechanical inspection, maintenance or testing are performed.

(3) Water. To prevent an electrical shock, personnel shall not spray streams of water on energized carcasses or on energized stimulating surfaces.

(d) Special provisions for manually operated equipment.

(1) Stimulating probes or clamps shall be stored in a sanitary container which is insulated with a material approved by the Administrator.1

(2) The electric wires attached to a clamp or probe shall not allow for contact between the probe or clamp and an electrical ground and shall not extend outside the enclosure.

[53 FR 46432, Nov. 17, 1988, as amended at 64 FR 56415, Oct. 20, 1999]

EFFECTIVE DATE NOTE: At 64 FR 56415, Oct. 20, 1999 §307.7 was amended by revising paragraph (a), effective Jan. 25, 2000. For the convenience of the user, the superseded text is set forth as follows:

1 A list of approved insulation materials is available upon request from the Facilities, Equipment and Sanitation Division, Technical Services, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250.

$307.7 Safety requirements for electrical stimulating (EST) equipment.

(a) General. Electrical stimulating (EST) equipment is equipment that provides electric shock treatment to carcasses for the purpose of accelerating rigor mortis of facilitating blood removal. These provisions do not apply to electrical equipment used to stun and/or slaughter animals or to facilitate hide removal. Electrical stimulating equipment consists of two separate pieces-the control system and the applicator. The EST control system contains the circuitry to generate pulsed DC or AC voltage for stimulation and is separate from the equipment used to apply the voltage to the carcass. The voltage is applied by inserting a probe that penetrates the carcass or is inserted in the rectum, placing a clamp in the nose, a carcass rub-bar, a conveyor with energized surfaces traveling with the carcass, or any other method found to be acceptable by the Administrator. The Administrator will evaluate EST equipment to determine its acceptability for its proposed use before it is installed in an official establishment as set forth in §308.5 of this subchapter.

(b) There shall be abundant light, of good quality and well distributed, and sufficient ventilation for all rooms and compartments to insure sanitary condition.

(c) There shall be an efficient drainage and plumbing system for the establishment and premises, and all drains and gutters shall be properly installed with traps and vents approved by the circuit supervisor.

(d)(1) The water supply shall be ample, clean, and potable, with adequate facilities for its distribution in the plant and its protection against contamination and pollution. Every establishment shall make known and, whenever required by the circuit supervisor, shall afford opportunity for inspection of the source of its water supply, the storage facilities, and the distribution system. Equipment using potable water shall be so installed as to prevent back-siphonage into the pota

ble water system. Nonpotable water is permitted only in those parts of official establishments where no edible product is handled or prepared, and then only for limited purposes such as on ammonia condensors not connected with the potable water supply, in vapor lines serving inedible product rendering tanks, in connection with equipment used for hashing and washing inedible products preparatory to tanking. and in sewer lines for moving heavy solids in the sewage. Nonpotable water is not permitted for washing floors, areas, or equipment involved in trucking materials to and from edible product departments nor is it permitted in hog scalding vats, dehairing machines, or vapor lines serving edible product rendering equipment, or for cleanup of shackling pens, bleeding areas, or runways within the slaughtering department. In all cases, nonpotable waterlines shall be clearly identified and shall not be cross-connected with the potable water supply unless this is necessary for fire protection and such connection is of a type with an adequate break to assure against accidental contamination, and is approved by local authorities and by the circuit supervisor.

(2) The circuit supervisor may permit the reuse of water in vapor lines leading from deodorizers used in the prepartion of lard and similar edible product and in equipment where such water is used to thermally process canned product packed in heremetically sealed containers, pro

vided:

(i) The reuse is for the identical original purpose.

(ii) All pipelines, reservoirs, tanks, cooling towers, and like equipment employed in handling the reused water are so constructed and installed so they can be cleaned and drained, and are kept clean.

(3) Approval for the reuse of water other than specified in paragraph (d)(2) of this section or in §318.305(h) shall be obtained from the Administrator in specific cases.

(4) An ample supply of water at not less than 180° F. shall be furnished and used for the cleaning of inspection equipment, floors, and walls which are

subject to contamination by the dressing or handling of diseased carcasses, their viscera, and other parts. Whenever necessary to determine compliance with this requirement, conveniently located thermometers shall be installed by the operator of the official establishment to show the temperature of the water at the point of use.

(5) Hot water for cleaning rooms and equipment other than those mentioned in paragraph (d)(4) of this section shall be delivered under pressure to sufficient convenient outlets and shall be of such temperature as to accomplish a thorough cleanup.

(e) The floors, walls, ceilings, partitions, posts, doors, and other parts of all structures shall be made of such materials, construction, and finish as will make them susceptible of being readily and thoroughly cleaned. The floors will be kept watertight. The rooms and compartments used for edible product shall be separate and distinct from those used for inedible product.

(f) Rails should be located and passageway space provided so that exposed product does not come in contact with posts, walls, and other fixed parts of the building, or with barrels, boxes, and other containers trafficked through holding and operating areas. Exposed product shall not be placed or stored beneath carcasses in coolers or holding areas.

(g) The rooms and compartments in which any product is prepared or handled shall be free from dust and from odors from dressing and toilet rooms, catch basins, hide cellars, casing rooms, inedible tank and fertilizer rooms and livestock pens.

(h) Every practicable precaution shall be taken to exclude flies, rats, mice, and other vermin from official establishments. The use of poisons for any purpose in rooms or compartments where any unpacked product is stored or handled is forbidden, except under such restrictions and precautions as are prescribed by the regulaions in this part or by the circuit supervisor in specific cases. The use of pesticides, rodenticides, and similar pest control substances in hide cellars, inedible product departments, outbuildings, or similar places, or in storerooms con

taining canned or tierced products is not forbidden but only those approved by the Administrator may be used.1 So called rat viruses shall not be used in any part of an establishment or the premises thereof.

(i) Dogs and cats shall be excluded from the interior of official establishments; however, dogs may be permitted on the outer premises for guard purposes.

[35 FR 15561, Oct. 3, 1970, as amended at 51 FR 45619, Dec. 19, 1986; 61 FR 38864, July 25, 1996; 62 FR 26217, May 13, 1997]

§308.4 Sanitary facilities and accomodations; specific require

ments.

Adequate sanitary facilities and accomodations shall be furnished by every official establishment. Of these, the following are specifically required;

(a) Dressing rooms, toilet rooms, and urinals shall be sufficient in number, ample in size, and conveniently located. The rooms shall be provided with facilities to provide abundant light of good quality and well distributed. They shall be properly ventilated, and meet all requirements of the regulations in this part as to sanitary construction and equipment. They shall be separate from the rooms in which the products are prepared, stored, or handled. Where both sexes are employed, separate facilities shall be provided.

(b) Acceptable lavatories, including running hot and cold water, soap, and towels, shall be placed in or near toilet and urinal rooms and also at such other places in the establishment as may be essential to assure cleanliness of all persons handling any product.

(c) Toilet soil lines shall be separate from house drainage lines to a point outside the building and drainage from toilet bowls and urinals shall not be discharged into a grease catch basin.

(d) Properly located facilities shall be provided for cleansing and disinfecting utensils and hands of all persons handling any product.

1 A list of approved pest control substances is available upon request to the Scientific Services, Meat and Poultry Inspection, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250.

$308.5 Equipment and utensils to be easily cleaned; those for inedible products to be so marked; PCB-containing equipment.

(a) Equipment and utensils used for preparing or otherwise handling any edible product or ingredient thereof in any official establishment shall be of such material and construction as will facilitate their thorough cleaning and insure cleanliness in the preparation and handling of all edible products and otherwise avoid adulteration and misbranding of such products. In addition to these requirements, equipment and utensils shall not in anyway interfere with or impede inspection procedures. Recepticals used for handling inedible material shall be of such material and construction that their use will not result in adulteration of any edible product or in insanitary conditions at the establishment, and they shall bear conspicuous and distinctive markings to identify them as only for such use and shall not be used for handling any edible product.

liquid

(b) New or replacement equipment or machinery (including any replacement parts) brought on to the premises of any official establishment shall not contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in concentrations above 50 parts per million by weight of the liquid medium. This provision applies to both food processing and nonfood processing equipment and machinery, and any replacement parts for such equipment and machinery. Totally enclosed capacitors containing less than 3 pounds of PCBs are exempted from this prohibition.

[40 FR 25439, June 16, 1975, as amended at 40 FR 60053, Dec. 31, 1975; 45 FR 68918, Oct. 17, 1980; 62 FR 45024, Aug. 25, 1997]

8308.6 Scabbards for knives.

Scabbards and similar devices for the temporary retention of knives, steels, triers, etc., by workers and others at official establishments shall be constructed for rust-resisting metal or other impervious material, shall be of a type that may be readily cleaned, and shall be kept clean.

$308.7 Rooms, compartments, etc., to be cleaned and sanitary.

Rooms, compartments, places, equipment, and utensils used for preparing, storing, or otherwise handling any product, and all other parts of the establishment, shall be kept clean and in sanitary condition. There shall be no handling or storing of materials which create an objectionable condition in rooms, compartments, or places where any product is prepared, stored, or otherwise handled.

§308.8 Operations, procedures, rooms, clothing, utensils, etc., to be clean and sanitary.

(a) Operations and procedures involving the preparation, storing, or handling of any product shall be strictly in accord with clean and sanitary methods.

(b) Rooms and compartments in which inspections are made and those in which livestock are slaughtered or any product is prepared shall be kept sufficiently free of steam and vapors to enable Program employees to make inspections and to insure clean operations. The walls, ceilings, and overhead structure of rooms and compartments in which product is prepared, handled, or stored shall be kept reasonably free from moisture to prevent dripping and contamination of product.

(c) Butchers and others who dress or handle diseased carcasses or parts shall, before handling or dressing other cacasses or parts, cleanse their hands with liquid soap and hot water, and rinse them in clean water. Implements used in dressing diseased carcasses shall be thoroughly cleansed with hot water having a minimum temperature of 180 °F. or in a disinfectant2 approved by the Administrator, followed by rinsing in clean water. The employees of the establishment who handle any product shall keep their hands clean, and in all cases after visiting the toilet rooms or urinals shall wash their hands before handling any product or implements used in preparation of product.

2 A list of approved disinfectants is available upon request to the Scientific Services, Meat and Poultry Inspection, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250.

(d) Aprons, frocks, and other outer clothing worn by persons who handle any product shall be made of material that is readily cleansed. Clean garments shall be worn at the start of each working day and the garments shall be changed during the day when required by the inspector in charge.

(e) Such practices as spitting on whetstones; spitting on the floor; placing skewers, tags, or knives in the mouth; inflating lungs or casings with air from the mouth; or testing with air from the mouth such receptacles as tierces, kegs or casks, containing or intended as containers of any product, are prohibited. Only mechanical means may be used for such testing. Care shall be taken to prevent the contamination of product with perspiration, hair, cosmetics, medications, and similar substances.

(f) Equipment or substances which generate gases or odors shall not be used in official establishments except as permitted by the regulations in this part or by the circuit supervisor in specific cases in which he determines that such use will not result in adulteration of any product.

$308.9 Protective handling of prod ucts.

Products will be protected from contamination from any source such as dust, dirt, or insects during storage, loading, or unloading at and transportation from official establishments. $308.10 Slack barrels and similar containers and means of conveyance used for product; paper in contact with product.

(a) When necessary to avoid contamination of product with wood splinters or similar contaminants, slack barrels and similar containers and the cargo space of trucks, railroad cars, or other means of conveyance shall be lined with suitable material of good quality before packing.

(b) Slack barrels and similar containers and trucks, railroad cars, and other means of conveyance in which any product is transported shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition.

(c) Paper used for covering or lining slack barrels and similar containers and the cargo space of trucks, railroad

cars, or other means of conveyance shall be of a kind which does not tear during use but remains intact when moistened by the product and does not disintegrate.

§308.11 Burlap wrapping for meat.

Since burlap used without any other material as a wrapping for meat deposits lint on the meat and does not sufficiently protect it from outside contamination, the use of burlap as a wrapping for meat will not be permitted unless the meat is first wrapped with a good grade of paper or cloth of a kind which will prevent contamination with lint or other foreign matter.

§308.12 Second-hand tubs, barrels, and other containers.

Second-hand tubs, barrels, and boxes intended for use as containers of any product shall be inspected when received at the official establishment and before they are cleaned. Those showing evidence of misuse rendering them unfit to serve as containers for food products shall be rejected. The use of those showing no evidence of previous misuse may be allowed after they have been thoroughly and properly cleaned. Steaming, after thorough scrubbing and rinsing, is essential to cleaning tubs and barrels.

[35 FR 15561, Oct. 3, 1970, as amended at 38 FR 29214, Oct. 23, 1973; 41 FR 23700, June 11, 1976] §308.13 Inedible operating and stor

age rooms; outer premises, docks, driveways, approaches, pens, alleys, etc., flybreeding material; other conditions.

All operating and storage rooms and departments of official establishments used for inedible materials shall be maintained in acceptably clean condition. The outer premises of every official establishment, including docks and areas where cars and vehicles are loaded, and the driveways, approaches, yards, pens, and alleys shall be properly paved and drained and kept in clean and orderly condition. All catch basins on the premises shall be of such construction and location and shall be given such attention as will insure their being kept in acceptable condition as regards odors and cleanliness.