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O & M Manual

Modern Slaughter House and carcass utilization

-cum-rendering plant, Ghazipur

East Delhi Municipal Corporation

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Table of Contents
Chapter No. Title Page No
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background 1

1.2 Basic Data 2

1.3 Features of Modern Slaughter house 3

1.3.1 Hygiene and Sanitation Features 3
1.3.2 Safety Features 4
1.3.3 4
Operational Efficiency
1.3.4 5
Environmental Features
1.4 5
Location and Layout
1.5 7
Slaughter House Technology
1.5 8
Technology Description

2.0 Process Overview

2.1 Process Overview 9
2.2 Livestock Market 10
2.3 Lairage 11
2.4 Buffalo Slaughter Line 13
2.5 Goat/ Sheep Slaughtering Line 15

2.6 By-product Processing 18

2.7 Energy Consumption 18

2.8 Environmental Management 18

2.8.1 Air Pollution 18

2.8.2 Indoor Air Quality 18
2.8.3 Odour Control and Gas Emission 18

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2.8.4 Noise Emissions 19

2.8.5 Water Consumption 19

2.8.6 Effluent Treatment 20
2.8.7 Solid Waste Management 24
2.9 Benchmarks 25

3.0 Utilities
3.1 Electricity Tariff
3.2 Transformers
3.3 Refrigeration System
3.4 Air Conditioning and AHUs
3.5 Compressed Air System
3.6 Water Supply and Distribution System
3.7 Effluent Treatment Plant / Wastewater
Treatment Plant
3.8 Boiler and steam distribution system
3.9 Fuel handling and Storage

4.0 Best Operation Practices

4.1 Need 28
4.2 Process Related best Practices 28
4.2.1 Livestock Market 28
4.2.2 Lairage 28
4.2.3 Stunning 29
4.2.4 Hoisting 30
4.2.5 Cutting the Throat 30
4.2.6 Bleeding 30
4.2.7 Blood Collection / Blood Handling 31
4.2.8 Beheading 32

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4.2.9 Dressing Process Including Removal of Hide / Skin 32

4.2.10 Evisceration 33
4.2.11 Marking Carcasses 34
4.2.12 Halving the Carcasses 34
4.2.13 Final Trimming of Carcasses 35
4.2.14 Washing the Carcasses 35
4.2.15 Cooling 35
4.2.16 Transport 38
4.3 Cleaning the Plant and Equipment 39
4.4 Water Management 41
4.5 Cleaning chemical Management 42
4.6 Sanitation and Hygiene 43
4.7 Lighting 46
4.8 Preventive Maintenance 46

5.0 Applicable Regulations and Guidelines

5.1 Consent to Establish and Operate 49
5.2 The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1981) 49
5.3 The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1974) 50
5.4 The Environmental Protection Act, 1986 51
5.5 Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) 54
Rules, 2001

5.6 EDMC bye – laws 59

5.7 The Employee’s Provident Fund Act, 1952 66
5.8 Minimum wages Act 66
5.9 Employee State Insurance (ESI) Act 66
5.10 The Factories Act, 1948 (Amended in 1987) 66

6.0 Others

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6.1 Establishment of Quality Management System/

ISO 9001
6.2 Food Safety and HACCP
6.3 Manpower Requirement
6.4 Safety Measures
Figures
Fig 1 Generic Process in Slaughter house 9
Fig 2 Schematic of Buffalo Slaughter house Process 11
Fig 2A Buffalo Slaughter Process 12
Fig 3 Sheep/ Goat Slaughter Process (Halal and Jhatka) 14
Fig 4 By products form Slaughter house 16
Fig 5 ETP Process Flow 22
Table
Table – 1 By products and its Uses 17
Table – 2 Environmental Issues 24
Table – 3 Benchmark for Abattoir (250 kg) 25
Glossary

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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Meat and meat products are an important component of diet in many parts of
India. Even though the consumption of animal protein per head of population is
low compared to developed countries, the production and consumption of meat
is increasing as levels of affluence are on the rise.
The slaughter of livestock to produce meat and meat products is a widespread
activity and is developing into an important industry in India. Lack of appropriate
slaughtering facilities, unsatisfactory slaughtering techniques and poor hygienic
conditions demand introduction of modern slaughter houses, which will
overcome these deficiencies
East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) is responsible for providing various
civic services within the limits of corporation of Delhi. This includes the operation
and maintenance of slaughter house and carcass utilization-cum-rendering plant.
For both environmental and economic reasons, the erstwhile MCD took a
decision to urgently relocate the existing “Idgah Slaughter house” to Ghazipur on
the outskirts of Delhi, where a modern, centralised facility has been constructed.
The site was chosen because of its isolation from urban areas and proximity to
road network for the delivery of animals and distribution of fresh meat.
The purpose of the new slaughter house is to provide a stable and adequate
supply of wholesome meat to the population of Delhi as well as ensuring highest
international standards for hygiene and safety, operational efficiency and
environmental management.
The Modern Slaughter House and Carcass Utilization-cum-Rendering Plant has
been leased to a competent operator who is managing the entire operations
covering maintenance of livestock market, operation and maintenance of
slaughter house including lairage, utilities, compliance with various laws, rules
and regulations of EDMC, Government of India and Government of NCT, the
rendering plant has also been leased out to the same private operator.

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1.2 Basic Data

Type of facilities: Livestock markets and Slaughter house consisting of the following areas:
Lairage block 3347 m2
Three separate sections of lairage are divided as
Buffalo 945.50 m2
Halal 1396.60 m2
Jhatka 951.60 m2

Raceway 10 m approx.
Slaughter Hall building 3906 m2 (approx.)

For personnel hygiene of butchers, veterinary doctors and other workers

there are facilities such as lab, offices, change room, showers, lockers
and toilets.

Utility block 880 m2 (approx.)

Administrative block 336 m2 for EDMC use.
Housing block 83.45 m2
check post 4 nos
Boundary 910 m (approx.)
Road & parking 7305 m2 (approx.)
Gates 5 nos
Overhead water tank 500KLD
Underground water tank 500 KLD
Additional UGR of capacity 500 KLD – 01 at Livestock Market
and 01 at Ghazipur Slaughter House
adjacent to the EDMC office
Other facilities 3 nos DG sets
25 street light poles all along the boundary wall
3 nos Borewells with 10 HP motors each

- 12 Ton capacity steam boiler with chimney, oil tank of 25 KLD

storage capacity for supply of hot water through plate heat
exchangers at different temperatures and pressures to all
sections of slaughter hall and mezzanine floor.
- Refrigeration system for air conditioning of slaughter house and
cold storage
- Two compressor units of total 1020 CFM capacity with air
receivers and refrigerated air dryer.
Main contractor: BANSS
Site features: Site area 25907.20 m2
Build up area 8608 m2
Open area including road 17299 m2
Costs: Rs. 100 Crores
Daily production: The designed daily production of the slaughter house is:
Sheep / Goats (by Halal Method) per Shift 3000 Nos
Sheep / Goats (by Jhatka Method) per Shift 1500 Nos
Buffaloes per Shift 500 Nos
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No of shifts Three shifts per day

1.3 Features of the Modern Slaughter house

The basic amenities provided in the modern slaughter house are:
- Reception area for animals
- Lairage (resting place)
- Facilities for ante – mortem inspection
- Segregation ward for sick/diseased animals
- Facilities for carrying out humane slaughtering
- Dehiding, dressing and washing of carcasses
- Handling carcasses and edible offals
- Handling by products and disposal (rendering plant)
- Inspection of meat and disposal of unfit meat
- Refrigeration store room for carcasses
- Laboratory
- Temporary/make shift skin and hide godown (established by the existing
lessee at its own cost)
- Blood processing unit (established by the existing lessee at its own cost)

1.3.1 Hygiene and Sanitation Features

The new slaughter house is designed to meet the highest international standards
for hygiene, i.e. European Community (EC) and United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Standard. To achieve this, the following provisions are
available:
 All work floors are constructed of hard impervious material such as dense acid
resisting, non-dusting, non-slip and water proof concrete and graded, 33 mm
per m to the drains.
 Floor and wall finish in slaughter hall is seamless construction to avoid the
accumulation of dirt. All surfaces are non–absorptive and can be easily
cleaned by using, water jet.
 Physical separation between “dirty” and “clean” operations.
 The “clean” area comprising of slaughter hall and carcass processing area.
 The layout of the slaughter house and building is designed so that the
production process moves in one direction without any cross flow of
products, which may adversely affect the hygiene of the product. Live animals
are received at the “dirty” end of the slaughter house and meat is out loaded
from the “clean” side of the slaughter house.

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 Air flow system is so designed as to create positive air flow from clean to dirty
areas
 Hot and cold potable water under adequate pressures and in sufficient
quantities are available throughout the plant.
 Provision of hot water at various temperatures for sterilization and
disinfection of equipment, washing and cleaning purposes. For disinfections,
hot water is supplied at temperatures at more than 820 C wherever required.
 Height of conveying system is designed at 2.40 m (high) to meet the EC
standard, so that splashing water will not contaminate the carcass
 Sanitation and health requirements set by various legislations and regulations
would be met.
 Adequate lighting with overall intensity above 200 lux is provided in various
areas of slaughter house. For inspection purposes, lighting intensity of above
500 lux would be available.
 Maintenance requirements are taken into account during the design and
construction of operational areas, equipment selection etc. sufficient space
and access to all parts of building, fittings and equipment is provided so that
maintenance activities can be easily carried out.
 The development of landscaping and green belt is provided comprising of
grass and shrubs which create a pleasant environment and gives the
impression that the slaughter house premises is well managed and cared for.
 From the point of view of industrial psychology, it has been found that the
more attractively a site is maintained, the easier it is for the workers to accept
and adapt to the high standards of hygiene expected of them. This is the
guiding principle of this modern slaughter house.

1.3.1 Safety Features

To address the safety requirements, the following principles have been
adopted:
 Protection cover facilities are installed to all equipments in the plant.
Adequate rails and barriers are provided to protect the workers. Warning
signs and signals are displayed at appropriate locations.
 Extensive period of training by manufacturer/ contractor was allowed for as
part of the contract as it was recognized that with the introduction of new
technology, process and procedures, substantial change of work culture for
the butchers would be required.

1.3.3 Operational Efficiency

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To maximise operational efficiency, the slaughtering facilities have three

automated lines exclusively for Buffalo, Sheep/ Goats (by Halal Method), Sheep/
Goats (by Jhatka Method). The facilities include:
 Automatic pneumatic stunning machine which eliminates the laborious and
inefficient manual stunning operation.
 On–line dehiding machine, which allows skin to be loaded, dehided and unloaded
automatically.
 Automatic splitting carcass saw for buffalo line, which reduces manpower and
improves the quality of the splitting.
 Handling of offal is carried out automatically instead of manually.
 Energy efficient technologies are being adopted in the plant. Modern
refrigeration system with a low kW/Ton has been installed. For compressed
air, screw compressors are selected in view of low maintenance and high
efficiency and for boiler, energy-efficient fire tube packaged boiler is
provided. Fuel-efficient DG set is chosen to meet power needs in times of
power failure.
 The plant is completely air conditioned to maintain high hygiene standards.

1.3.4 Environmental Features

 LDO is chosen as the fuel of boiler and DG set in view of its low sulphur
content. Option to switch over the fuel from LDO to even cleaner natural
gas in future is available for boiler.
 Sufficient stack heights are provided for DG sets and boilers for safe
disbursal of pollutants into ambient air.
 DG sets are provided with acoustic insulation to dampen noise and
vibration.
 The plant has been provided with separate drains for storm water so that
storm water does not enter into wastewater drains.
 State of the art wastewater treatment system comprising of Dissolved Air
Floatation (DAF), Up-flow Sludge Anaerobic Blanket Reactor (USABR) and
sludge dewatering facility is installed for taking care of wastewater from
various processes and operations.
 The plant is equipped with environmental laboratory to monitor the
wastewater parameters on daily basis and displaying the same online.
 The plant would comply with latest environmental regulations and
standards.

1.4 Locations and Layout

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The plant is located at Ghazipur about 19 km east of Delhi from New Delhi
Railway Station near Ghaziabad Border. The plant is accessible from the
rear for the movement of livestock from, livestock market to lairage and the
front gate for utility and product dispatch.

Four main units in the slaughter house are:

- Lairage building block
- Slaughter hall
- Utility
- Rendering plant
- Blood Processing Unit
- Temporary/make shift Skin and hide godown

The size of the site allows space for all buildings, staff quarters, parking lots, access
roads, green belt development and future expansion, Sufficient clearances are
provided for staff passageways and products, work areas and process equipment.
Separate welfare rooms for staff working in “dirty” and “clean” area are provided to
prevent cross-contamination.

“Dirty” area
- Livestock entrance.
- Vehicle wash bay for trucks that transport animals.
- Offloading platforms and facilities for marking animals.
- Lairage where animals are kept until they are slaughtered.
- Ante mortem inspection.
- Isolation lairage for animals that are suspected or might be sick.
- Facilities where animals can be restricted and efficiently stunned
- Bleeding area.
- Area for electrical stimulation of carcasses
- Facilities where condemned products are handled.
- Including facilities for sorting grading and weighing
- Room for the cleaning and processing of offals.
- Disposal of solid waste such as paunch and intestinal contents.
- Dispatch area for rough offal
- Facilities for processing of condemned products as by products such as
blood/carcass meal etc.
- Cloakrooms, toilets, showers, washing facilities and dining room where only workers
of the dirty area have access.
- Store rooms for dirty area
- Maintenance workshops.

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“Clean “area:
- Slaughter halls for the dressing of animal under hygienic conditions.
- Area for inspection of the carcass and other edible portions in order to determine its
fitness for human consumption.
- Facilities for the retention for secondary inspection of carcasses, which are
suspected.
- Grading and weighing of carcasses as part of the marketing function.
- Chilling of carcasses to ensure that quality of the product is maintained and the
optimal shelf life ensured.
- Sorting and loading of carcasses in cooled area to ensure that the cold chain is
not broken.
- Dispatch facilities.
- Washing bay for meat trucks.
- Laboratories
- Cloakrooms, toilets showers, wash facilities and dining room where only workers
in the clean area have access.
- Store rooms.

1.5 Slaughter house Technology

In the new slaughter house, animals will be subjected to both ante-mortem and post-
mortem checks by veterinary doctors to ensure that the meat is of the highest
quality. Animals failing the test will not be slaughtered.

The equipment for the slaughter house has been imported from Germany, France
and the Netherlands. While German company BANSS is responsible for setting up the
state-of-the-art slaughter house, Haarslev of Denmark has set up one of the
rendering plants and MCM of France is also associated in the project.

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1.6 Technology Description

The new slaughter house belongs to fully automatic category. List of major equipment
used in the plant are given as follows:

SELECT LIST OF EQUIPMENT IN BUFFALO SLAUGHTERING LINE

Landing grit Tilting table
Stainless steel blood collecting channel Sterilizing cabins/ basins for various
applications
Hoist winch for the bleeding Elevating platform for offal removal
Electric stimulating equipment Central electric control panel
Horn and feet cutter tong sterilizer Belt conveyors for various applications
Pneumatic lowering device Carcass shower
Static working platforms Loading and unloading elevator
Inspection tables Bleeding roller shackles
Lifting platform pre-dehiding, removing Pneumatic bolt stunning system
red organs, carcass inspection etc.
Pneumatic dehiding knives Blood collection tank
Roller dehider Stunning bolt for traditional slaughtering
Pneumatic lifting platform for final Horn and feet cutting tongs
dehiding
Head washing cabinet Overhead rail systems
Breast bone saw Electric manual splitting saw
Moving top inspection conveyor Carcass quartering saw with sterilizer

SELECT LIST OF EQUIPMENT IN GOAT/ SHEEP SLAUGHTERING LINE

HALAL LINE JHATKA LINE
Wash cabins for various application Blood collecting channel
Overhead tubular rails Lowerator (to lower bleeding carcass on to
the conveyor)
Elevator for shackling Dehiding knives
Conveyors for pre-dehiding, inspection, Sterilizing basins
dressing, bleeding, hide, in storing, out
storing
Table elevator Central electric control panel
Goat dehiding machine Wash cabins
Sterilizing basins for various applications Overhead tubular rails
Goat horn cutter Electric stunning tongs
Central electric control panel Elevator for shackles
Sterilizing basins Bleeding shackles
Knives Ritual killing box
Electric stunning tongs Rails
Table elevator
Conveyors for various applications
Note: the lists are not all inclusive
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2.0 PROCESS DESCRIPTION

2.1 Process overview

The entire process comprises of livestock market, lairage, slaughter

house, and dry rendering plant. The generic processes that take place at
slaughter house are shown in Fig.1.

Livestock
market

Transport

Lairage and ante

mortem
inspection

Stunning

Bleeding

Hide removal

Evisceration

Post mortem
inspection

Weighing &
Grading

Cooling

Fig 1 Generic Process in slaughter house

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2.2 Livestock Market

The animals from various places in and around Delhi would be brought for sale
in the livestock market. The meat bulk purchase agencies/ shop owners would
select and purchase the animals for slaughtering. The selected animals would be
taken to the slaughter house in lorries/vehicles or driven in on their feet.

2.3 Lairage
Lairage is an integral part of the slaughter house. Here, animals are rested for
some time, resting period can vary from 4-12 hours. In general, resting period
lasts 4 hours in cold season and 6 hours in warm weather. Rest is important as
when animals are overworked or fatigued, carcasses of lower quality result from
slaughter. Animals are provided with adequate water in lairage.
The capacity of the lairage corresponds to the number of livestock to be
slaughtered daily. Space provided in lairage is about 2.8 m2 per large animal and
1.6m2 per small animal. Each type of animal species would be separately kept.
During the resting period, veterinary doctor first inspects animals and certifies
them for slaughtering. The certified animals are provided with identification
number and codes. The operator shall establish an appropriate marking so that
meat as well as parts of each animal are identified and traced after processing.
Meat merchants receive the meat and parts of only the animals they have
selected and purchased.
After the resting period, animals are driven up through a race way to the
slaughter lines.
The slaughter house comprises of three separate lines according to animal type
as well as slaughter method. They are:
a) Buffalo slaughter line
b) Goat /Sheep slaughter line (Halal)
c) Goat /Sheep slaughter line (Jhatka)

2.4 Buffalo slaughter line

Buffalo slaughter line consists of lairage, killing box carcass transfer lines, blood
collection, front and hind legs removal, dehiding, by products removal and
carcass trimming. The details are given in Fig2 and Fig 2A.

The buffalos are first received in lairage. Buffaloes are driven from lairage to the
killing box. In feed gate is opened and buffaloes are driven in to the killing box.

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The gate is then closed and pneumatic guide positions the head of buffalo for stunning.
Stunning is carried out by pneumatic stunning pistol. After stunning animal is ejected
onto receiving gate. The person doing the stunning must stand above and behind the
animal. The point of stunning is roughly at the intersection of imaginary lines drawn
from the eyes to the horns. If effectively stunned, the animal will collapse onto the
bottom of the stunning box. The eye reflex test may be done to ensure effective
stunning before the gate is opened. After stunning, animal is ejected onto receiving
gate.

Animals sent to slaughter house rest in Dehiding

lairage
Animal sent to waiting lairage before Opening of brisket and evisceration
slaughter
Ante-mortem inspection by veterinary Splitting
doctor
Stunning by captive bolt pistol Post-mortem inspection
Sticking and bleeding Cleansing of carcass and offal
cleaning
Removal of head, leg and tail Quartering
Shackling and hoisting Transport
Fig. 2 Schematic view of Buffalo Slaughter house Process

The animal is shackled by wrapping the chain of the shackle around one of the hind legs
and hoisted on the bleeding rail. As soon as animal is positioned over the bleeding
trough, the bleeding knife is removed from the sterilizer and bleeding or sticking is
done.

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Livestock Lairage
Carcass Halving
Market

Stunning
Inspection

Shackling &
Hoisting Rinsing of carcass
and offal cleaning

Removal of head,
legs and tail Carcass quartering

Dehiding
Cooling Delivery

Opening of Brisket
and Evisceration

Fig. 2A Buffalo Slaughter Process

Bleeding should take place within 60 Seconds of stunning to facilitate maximum

bleeding. The dripping blood is collected in blood trough for further processing in
the blood processing plant. The whole process from stunning to bleeding, including
hoisting, should be carried out quickly and without any delay.

After bleeding, animals may also be electrically stimulated to improve the quality of
meat. Clamps are attached to ear, cheek or throat of the carcass and an appropriate
current passed through for (+ or -) 50 seconds from a stimulation unit. After completion
of the cycle, the cables are removed and prepared for the next animal. At the end of
bleeding line, a cutting tong removes front leg and horns and carcass identity is marked
on them. Legs are taken to leg procession room using a trolley. Free hanging leg is pre-
skinned and under feet is removed. Dressing roller hook is inserted and carcass is lifted
pneumatically and placed in a dressing conveyor. Bleeding shackle is then released and
automatically returned to killing box for reuse.

Second front leg is removed in the same way as the first leg and dressing roller hook is
inserted into the carcass. Carcass is lifted pneumatically and taken to the dressing
conveyor and both the hind legs are spread. Udders and testicles are removed and

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dropped on a workstation of the dressing conveyor. They are taken for inspection or
taken for disposal in condemned material truck.

The rectum end is then closed and backside is manually pre dehided on a fixed
working platform. Pre dehiding of flanks and belly is carried out manually using
pneumatic dehiding knives at workstations with pneumatic lifting platforms. Final
dehiding is carried out by a hide puller of roller dehiding machine. Hide is
automatically released from the hide chains and transported in a belt conveyor.

After hide removal, breastbone is opened with a special brisket saw. Head and
carcass are labelled and head is removed and transferred to head and red organs
inspection conveyor after washing.

Evisceration of the white and red offal is then carried out. Punch is removed from
carcass and transferred for inspection and cleaning. Red organs are suspended on a
hook in inspection conveyor. Punches and red organs are marked after inspection
and taken to separate storage room for dispatch.

After removal of offal, the carcass is split into two equal halves with an electric bond
saw and inspected. Two halves must be of equal size and weight for trading
purposes, economical cuts and easy handling of the carcass. Carcass is identified and
marked and passes through an automatic washing system.

Hot water at 82oC must be available for sterilising the saw, especially after
contamination. Detained or condemned animals will be sorted out for additional
inspection and condemned carcass are taken to condemned cooler.

Carcass halves are quartered after washing (Optional) in automatic washing station.
The carcasses are transferred from slaughter hooks to Euro hooks. The slaughter
hooks are returned back to the beginning of slaughter line. Carcass is conveyed to
cooling area maintained at a temperature of 2o C. the cooling area has capacity for
storing 920 buffalo quarters. From the cooling area, carcasses quarters will be
loaded in an elevator and taken to trucks for dispatch.

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2.5 Goats/ Sheep Slaughter line

Goats are slaughtered using Halal method or Jhatka Method.

Lairage
Carcass Inspection

Stunning

Carcass trimming,
Shackling & Hoisting identification &
Marking

Sticking & Bleeding

Cooling

Removal of head
Dispatch

Feet Removal & pre-

dehiding

Final dehiding and

dressing

White offal & red

organs removal

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Sheep/goats are driven from lairage directly to stunning box for stunning. After stunning, and
sticking the animals are lifted through elevator onto vertical the bleeding line and transferred to
the bleeding conveyor. After sticking and bleeding, blood is collected in the bleeding channel
under the bleeding rail.

After completion of bleeding, heads will be removed and carcasses are lowered onto the
horizontal pre-dehiding conveyor. The shackle will be removed and returned back by separate
conveyor and tubular area to the shackling area.

On the horizontal pre-dehiding conveyor, feet will be removed and skin opened from the back
with necessary cuts. Carcass will first be pre-dehided so that subsequent de-hiding can be
carried out without any problems. Empty slaughter hooks will be cleaned and returned back to
the lifting station after horizontal pre-dehiding. At the end of pre dehiding conveyor, the
carcasses are lifted again for final dehiding and dressing.

The final dehiding machine removes the complete hide of the animal. Compressed air is used
between the carcass and the hide to help the removal process. The hide is placed into trolley
and transported to by-product area.

After hide removal, the carcasses pass through a separation wall, which divides the unclean
slaughter area from the clean slaughter area. the white offal is removed and placed into a tray
and red offals are suspended on a hook for inspection. After inspection, approved offal and
organs will be taken to the by product area. The offal inspection conveyor and the dressing
conveyor run synchronously.

After veterinary inspection, carcasses will be separated for final inspection. Carcasses, which are
suspect, are taken to a separate cooler. Carcasses, which have passed the inspection test, are
taken for trimming (quartering), identification and marking. Carcasses are then taken to the
cooling rooms by automatic conveyors.

Cooling rooms have a capacity to store 880 goats and are maintained at a temperature of about
2o C approximately. Carcass quarters are dispatched by using an elevator into the trucks.

For each operator, hand wash, knife sterilization basins, apron wash cabins and sterilization
equipment for all cutting tools are provided.

2.6 By products processing

Meat is the most significant product from the slaughter house, by weight and also in monetary
terms. However, by products can contribute significantly to the profitability of the slaughter

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house operation since they generally have a commercial value. Various by products and their
uses are shown in Fig. 4 and Table 1.

If animal by products are not used effectively, not only valuable source of revenue is
lost, but also the operator incurs additional cost of disposal of these products. From an
environmental perspective, utilization of by products makes sense as it reduces the
overall environmental load of the process.

Livestock market Reception & Washing Manure

Stunning and Blood

Bleeding

Dressing (head, hoof Hides Hide preservation

and hide removal)
Heads, hooves Rendering Plant
bleeding
bbbbbbbbbblbbBbb Inedible Offal
Evisceration
bleeding Edible offal Offal Processing
Paunch Manure

Cutting Bones and fat

Cooling

Dispatch

Fig. 4 By products from slaughter House

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Table – 1 By products and uses

Type Examples Uses

Soft organs Stomachs, intestines, lungs, carcass Rendered into meat bone meal
trimmings, reproductive structures etc.
(Where not utilized for food); floor
sweepings, drainage trappings
Hard organs Horn and hooves Processed into horn/hoof meal and
used as fertilizer
Blood Blood is processed in the blood
processing unit to make blood meal
to be used as animal feed and
fertilizer.
Gut contents and For compost or fertilizer production
manure from or biogas production
lairages
Bones/ feet/shanks Bone meal as animal feed or
fertilizer
For manufacture of combs buttons,
cutlery handles, etc;
Other uses are glue, gelatine and
tallow.
Hooves and horns As hoof/ horn meal for use as
fertilizer, gelation and glue
For manufacture of combs, buttons
and hairpins Art work (including
souvenirs and articles of tourist
attraction)
Hides & skins Cured hides /skins for leather-
footwear, gloves, belts, bags,
upholstery and saddles
Hair & wool Brushes, yarn, fabrics and fibres
Glands & Organs Thymus, thyroid, pituitary, gonads, Pharmaceuticals
Pancreas and gall bladder
Intestine Sausage casings, musical
instruments/ strings and surgical
ligatures
Stomachs, other Meat/bone meal for animal feed or
offals fertilizer
Tallow for soap and glycerine and
for lubricants, grease and waxes
Gut contents manure, Compost
solid waste Biogas – as fuel for heating and lighting

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2.7 Energy consumption

Overall energy consumption will depend on the types of activities occurring at slaughter house.
Since rendering is carried out on site, it adds substantially to overall energy consumption.

Approximately 80-85% of slaughter house’s total energy consumption would be for thermal
energy in the form of steam or hot water produced from the combustion of fuels in boiler.
Remaining 15-20% of a slaughter house’s energy consumption would be provided by electricity.
Refrigeration would account for a significant proportion of electricity uses. Other electricity uses
in order of importance would be boiler room, rendering plant, slaughter area, compressed air,
ventilation, lighting etc.

2.8 Environmental Management

Necessary provisions are made during design and equipment selection stage to comply with
various guidelines and regularities laid by Delhi Pollution Control committee (DPCC) for air
quality, noise, water & wastewater and solid wastes.

2.8.1 Air Pollution

 Gas emission from chimney provided for emergency DG sets and boiler exhaust is designed to
comply with the prevailing air emission standards.

2.8.2 Indoor air Quality

The air within the slaughter and meat dispatch facility is controlled to avoid unclean outside
air from entering the premises. These include:

 High efficiency particulate filters are provided for the fresh air supply to clean areas of the
slaughter hall.
 Ultraviolet (light) air sterilization systems are provided for the clean area of slaughter hall and
meat dispatch area.
 Positive pressure is maintained by air-conditioning system in meat dispatch area to avoid ingress
of outside air during loading of carcasses to the vehicles.

2.8.3 Odour control and Gas Emission

The main sources of odour from slaughter house are generated from the animal unloading
areas, lairage and effluent treatment plant. To minimise this problem to acceptable levels, the
following has been incorporated into the design:

Lorry washing bay is provided for washing the lorries in livestock market before transporting the
livestock to slaughter house Water hose points are provided for floor cleansing of the lairages,
external unloading and holding areas to reduce odour.

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 Collection skips and containers for transporting coagulated blood, condemned carcasses and
sludge are of enclosed design to minimize odour emission.

 Chutes are provided for directed dumping of manure into the collection skips to reduce odour.

2.8.4 Noise Emissions

The operation hours of the slaughter house are mainly from midnight to early morning for
public. The main generators of noise are plant noise, unloading area noise, animal squealing,
traffic noise, slaughter operation noise and other human activities. To minimize the nuisance
factors to the local residents, the following mitigation measures are adopted:

 Acoustic louvers for lairages, acoustic enclosures and silencers for DG sets, acoustic linings for
plant rooms, and enclosed building fabric design with double glazed glass panels for slaughter
hall.

 Perimeter noise barrier walls of 2 to 4 m high are erected to reduce noise impact due to lorry
movement and unloading.

 Emergency DG sets are also provided with acoustic enclosures as per standards.

2.8.5 Water Consumption

Raw water is drawn from bore wells installed at the site. In slaughter house, water is
used for the following purposes:
 Livestock watering and washing
 Truck washing
 Washing of casings, offal and carcasses
 Transport of certain by products and wastes
 Cleaning and sterilizing of knives and equipment
 Cleaning of floors, work surfaces, equipment etc.
 Make-up of water for boilers
 Cooling of machinery (compressors, condensers etc)

Slaughter, evisceration, casings and offal processing account for a large proportion of total
water use, where water is used mainly for cleaning. It must be ensured that the water is
bacteriologically and chemically safe. Since water is drawn from borewells, water has to be
tested in recognized laboratory to prove that prescribed quality standards for portable water
are met after treatment.

The operator has to pay water cess (Charges) to DPCC based on water consumption. Hence
online meter has to be fitted to monitor water consumption.

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2.8.6 Effluent Treatment

Out of the total quantity of water used in the slaughter house, 80-85% is discharged as
wastewater or effluent. The remainder is held up with by products and wastes or lost
through evaporation.

Effluents from slaughter house originate from all areas of the plant where water comes into
contact with carcasses, manure, offal and blood etc. and exhibit the following properties:
High organic loads due to presence of blood, fat, manure and undigested stomach contents
High levels of fat
Fluctuations in Ph due to the presence of caustic and acid cleaning agents
High levels of nitrogen, phosphorous and salt
High temperature
The concentration of organic matter is a key indicator of effluent quality, and is commonly
expressed as chemical oxygen demand (COD) or 3-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD3).
Both these indicators are widely used, other characteristics in the effluent are nitrogen,
phosphorous, salt and fats.

Animal fats contained in slaughter house effluent are fatty acids and glycerol, collectively
referred as fats, oils and greases or just fats. Fats in the effluent stream originate from
trimmings that are allowed to fall to the floor, some of which will find its way into the
effluent stream. Fat can also originate from carcass washings.

Blood is a significant source of nitrogen in the slaughter house effluent. Main sources of
blood are from slaughter house and evisceration area as well as rendering plant, where
blood processing takes place.

Phosphorous originates from manure and undigested stomach contents. Blood processing
with the rendering plant can also be a source of phosphorous.

Salt also originates from manure and undigested stomach contents and also from rendering
also the pickling processes. Raw water used in the plant can also contribute to high salt
levels in the effluent.

Therefore, effluent quality depends upon on the extent to which blood, fat, manure and
undigested stomach contents are present in the effluent stream. If blood and fat are
allowed into the effluent stream, it increases the cost of effluent treatment and represents
the loss of valuable resources.

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Since rendering plant is available at the site, rendering plant is generally the largest
single source of effluent quality. Rendering typically contributes to about 60% of plant’s
total organic load but only 5-10% of total effluent quantity.

Wastewater of a slaughter house should be subjected to appropriate treatment system

as given in Schedule-II to meet the prescribed standards before it is discharged. The
standards notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 are presented in
Schedule- III.

An effective and extensive waste water collection system is provided with separate
drainage for storm water. Only wastewater from the plant would be directed into the
wastewater treatment plant while rain water will overflow into the storm water drain to
prevent overloading of the waste water treatment plant.

Different alternative treatment processes have been evaluated. Critical factors under
consideration include space limitations and the treatment standards to be achieved. The
“Up flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket” reactor, being the most compact and efficient
waste water treatment process, has been selected.

Effluent treatment plant is designed to handle 1750 KLD of slaughter house waste
water. The ETP process flow is shown in Fig. 5. The ETP comprise of following
components:

Screening Tube settler

Oil and Grease tank Aeration tank
Equalization tank Secondary settling tank
Buffer tank Chlorine contact tank
Anaerobic digester Sludge drying beds

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Effluent

Screening (Rotary Screens) Extended Aeration

(Aeration Tank)

Oil & Grease Trap

Settling (Settling Tank)

Equalization Tank Chlorine dosing

Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) Multigrade sand filter

Anaerobic digestion Sludge dewatering

Up flow Anaerobic
Sludge Blanket Reactor (UASB)

Sludge drying bed

Fig. 5 ETP Process Flow

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Characterise of effluent and treated water:

S. No Parameters Characteristics of Characteristics of Characteristics of treated

inlet effluent treated water after water after Aeration
Anaerobic digestion
1. pH 7.1 5.5-9.0 6.5-8.5
2. BOD 2500 About 50-0 <30
3. COD 3300 <500 <250
4. Total suspended Up to 980 <150 <100
solids
5. Oil and Grease Up to 50 <10 <5

Effluent treatment plant comprises of following processes and equipments:

No Process Equipment Purpose

1. Screening Rotary screen in Screening Screening takes place rotary screen in
chamber (two nos) screening chamber constructed of RCC
below the ground. Two no of screening
chambers are provided. One screen will
be in operation and other one will be a
standby.
2. Oil & Grease Removal Oil & Grease Trap constructed Oil and Grease, which are lighter than
of RCC water floats at the top and are removed
using a scraper. Water phase material is
collected at bottom and removed via
submerged pipe immersed in the tank.
3. Equalization of effluent flow Equalization tank Variation of flow and concentration is
equalized in equalization tank
constructed of RCC below the ground.
4. Dissolved Air Floatation DAF system comprises of air
(DAF) to separate suspended compressor, recirculation
solids, oil and grease and to pump, mixing vessel and DAF
separate and concentrate tank.
sludge
5. Transferring the effluent Buffer tank Centrifugal pump From DAF process, effluent will
from buffer tank to Up flow (two nos) overflow to Buffer tank. From Buffer
Anaerobic Sludge Blanket tank, two nos of horizontal centrifugal
Reactor (UASB) pump are used to transfer effluent to
USAB. Buffer tank also receives part of
sludge from USAB.
6. Anaerobic digestion Up flow Anaerobic Sludge
Blanket Reactor (USAB)

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7. Extended aeration (mixing Aeration tank

effluent with oxygen)
8. Setting Secondary setting tank.
9. Chlorine dosing Chlorine dosing tank with 2 Chlorine dosing is controlled using
nos of metering type metering type diaphragm pump
diaphragm pumps
10. Removal of suspended Multigrade sand filter
solids
11. Sludge dewatering and Sludge drying bed Sludge drying bed is constructed of
sludge drying brickwork.

An on line monitoring and logging system has been provided to monitor the discharge continuously to
ensure its compliance with the standards.

The unit will monitor the effluent parameters for conformance with the standards on a daily basis.
Laboratory facilities for offline monitoring for required parameters will be setup to be manned by an
environmental chemist and an assistant. The monitoring results will be updated on the plant website.

2.8.7: Solid waste Management

Solid wastes generated during process would be disposed to in-house rendering plant. Other sources of
solid wastes are ETP sludge from desludging operations from final effluent and domestic sold wastes.

Animal manure and urine from lairages have high nutrient contents. To the extent practical, lairages
have to be dry cleaned before hosing with water for wet cleaning. Vacuum may be used to assist in this
effort. This recovered material should then be land applied as manure or land filled as appropriate.

Common environmental issues in slaughter house are summarized in the following table:

Table 2 Environmental Issues

Process Environmental Issue

Reception of livestock Effluent containing manure wastes
Truck washing High Water consumption
Animal washing Noise

Stunning and bleeding Effluent with high organic load if blood is discharged
Splitting and Evisceration Energy consumption for equipment sterilization
Generation of putrescible by products
Effluent with high organic load
Fugitive emissions (CFCs)

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Cutting and boning Electricity consumption

Generation of putrescible by products Energy consumption
For equipment sterilization

Offal processing Effluent with high organic load

High water consumption
Cleaning High water consumption
Consumption of chemicals
Large volume of effluent with high organic load.
Rendering plant Effluent with high organic load
Potential for odour generation
High energy consumption

2.9 Benchmarks

A benchmark is a number that acts as a guide to the level of best practice that is achievable in a specific
area, for example environmental performance. Environmental indicators recommended for slaughter
house to benchmark performance are water consumption, energy consumption and the organic load to
effluent (COD or BOD5) expressed in figures per unit of production. It is recommended that slaughter
house should first establish benchmark internally so that it may be possible to compare performance
with other similar slaughter house in the country or abroad. An example of benchmark is given below:

Table 3 Benchmark for buffalo abattoir (250 Kg)

Unit Traditional Average Best available

technology technology technology
Water L/animal 5000 2500 1000
Heat and KWh/animal 300 125 70
electricity
BOD5 G/animal 5500 2500 1200

1above unit= 3 sheet/goat

A slaughter house is considered to avail Best Available Technology (BAT) if it has a good capacity
utilization, and good housekeeping.

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3. UTILITIES

3.1 Boiler

To meet the hot water requirement of the slaughter house a 12 tonne per hour HSD/Natural
gas IBR boiler has been installed. Steam will be used for making hot water at three
temperature levels 900C, 650C and 450C in different hot well tanks. The heat will be delivered
through plate heat exchanges. A 25 KLD tank is provided for storage of HSD. The specification
of boiler is given in the table below:

Boiler Make IBL

Model Petropak 120
Maximum continuous rating 12000 KG/hr (F&A 1000C)
Safety valve set pressure 10.54 Kg/cm2
Thermal efficiency (NCV) 92%+-2% (with HRU)
Fuel Consumption
HSD@10200 Kcal/Kg 690 Kg/hr
Natural gas @ 8200 Kcal/Nm3 860 Nm3/hr
Chimney height 30 m

3.2 Water Supply

Three piston type hydropneumatic pumps have been installed with interconnected piping for
supply of cold water to all parts of slaughter house. The first pump delivers the output for goat,
sheep (halal) and goat, Sheep (Jhatka). The second pump delivers output to Buffalo slaughter
hall. The thirds pump is connected to 1st and 2nd pumps and functions as standby. The
specifications of hydropneumatic pumps is given in the table below:

Hydropneumatic pump type Piston

Capacity 50001/hr to 50 bar
Pulsation damper Provided
Pressure regulator Provided
Auto cut off At set pressure
Maintained pressure 4 bar

3.3 Compressed Air System

Compressed air is distributed to all parts of the plant for activating pneumatic devices, valve
etc. The specification of Air compressors is given in the table below:

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Compressor Make ELG1

Model EH 54 120 two stage
EH 06 150 one stage
Capacity 999 CFM
Rated Pressure 10 bar
Air dryer type Refrigerated type
Receiver capacity 3 m3
Receiver pressure 10-12 Kg/cm2

3.4 Diesel Generator System

To meet the emergency needs of electric power, the plant has installed 3 nos x 500 kVA DG sets
with synchronization panel.

3.5 Refrigeration System

3.6 H.V.A.C Air Conditioning System

3.7 Lighting System

3.8 Electrical Distribution System

3.9 Water Supply System

3.10 Water Treatment System

3.11 Effluent Treatment Plant

3.12 Electricity tariffs

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4.0 BEST OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE PRACTICES

4.1 The operator has to employ best practices during operation and maintenance of
slaughter house and rendering plant. It is the operator responsibility to handover the plant
after expiry of the contract period in a good condition. Some guidelines for O & M practices are
given as follows:

- Process related best practices

- Cleaning the plant and Equipments
- Water Management
- Cleaning Chemical Management
- Sanitation and hygiene
- Lighting
- Preventive maintenance

4.2 Process Related Best Practices

4.2.1 Livestock Market

On arrival at livestock market, all animals would be provided with identification tags. Faecal
contamination may be spread through successive batches by contact with soiled environmental surfaces
of the common pathways. Defecations may occur which can be spread to incoming animals.

Livestock market should be equipped as follows:

- Good sanitary arrangement including sweeping, removal of manure and garbage and its proper
disposal.
- Shelter for all animals without congestion and intermixing of different animal types.
- Arrangements for drinking water facilities.
- Veterinary health facilities for livestock care.

4.2.2 Lairage

After sale, animals bought by a particular buyer are moved to lairage where they may be mixed with
animals from many different sources prior to transport. This may lead to agitated or aggressive
behaviour patterns which results in spread of contamination through increased contact between
animals. Bulls are normally penned individually before and after sale to avoid such physical contacts.

The livestock shall be washed if their bodies adhere with filth or excretion. The space of the lairage shall
have a capacity to accommodate all livestock to be slaughtered per day is calculated on the basis of 1.00
square meters per sheep and 2.8 square meter per buffalo. Water spray and drinking water equipment
for

livestock must be installed. Adequate water supply and faucets for washing shall be provided.
Adequate space and facilities shall be made available for ante mortem inspection.

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Lairage is provided with adequate lighting, taking care those bright lights and shadows, which frighten
the animals or affect their movement, are avoided. Animals move more readily from darker area into a
well lit area and accordingly lighting is regulated.

The following points need to be ensured:

- Animals move more readily from dark area to well lit areas and accordingly lighting should be
regulated to help movement.
- Animals exit lorry and enter the lairage freely, without any encouragement.
- No fugitive dust emissions are visible.
- No unpleasant odour detectable by humans.
- Animals moved easily none or minimal levels of vocal and physical guidance.
- Avoiding noisy hydraulic or pneumatic equipment, and muffling noisy metal equipment by the
use of the suitable padding, or by minimizing the transmission of such noise.
- Handling and design facilities quiet and free movement of animals throughout the lairages.
Generous space allowance.
- Plenty of room for all animals to rest.
- Clean floor or plenty of clean dry bedding.
- Easy access to water for drinking and washing.

4.2.3 Stunning

The area in which stunning takes place has been designed in such a way as to completely
restrict the animal’s freedom of movement so that stunning is done with a great deal of
accuracy. The main stunning method used is bolt type, which penetrates the skull.

For, the correct stunning point is to aim at the point of intersection of two imaginary lines
running from the highest point of each eye to the lowest point at the base of opposite horn.
For hornless sheep, stunning point is the highest point of the head above the base of the ears
and aim towards the throat. For horned sheep and goats, stunning point is the centre of the
ridge between the horns with the barrel pointing towards the mouth.

4.2.4 Hoisting

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All animals must be bled in a hanging position away from the floor. Hence, the bleeding area
must be high enough as hoist is being used. A Bleeding chain is attached just above the hoof of
one hind leg and the animal is hoisted by means of an electric hoist. As soon as the animal is
over the adjacent bleeding trough, its neck arteries are severed.

These processes must be carried out rapidly, as the arteries must be severed within one minute
of stunning. The bleeding rail is designed high enough for the animals to hang above floor level.

Buffalo

- On a crawl beam- 4.88 to 5 m

- On a bleeding rail- 4.5 to 4.8 m
- Bleeding hook or pulley- The lowest point of the hook at 4.2 metres.

Sheep/Goat

- 2.4 m

4.2.5 Cutting the Throat

The animal neck arteries and veins are to be cut immediately within one minute after stunning. In
this period the blood pressure rises greatly. If the blood vessels are not severed immediately, blood
splash will be caused by tiny haemorrhages in the muscles and organs. The incision is made after
the animal has been hoisted up and is handing over the bleeding trough. Care must be taken that
all the blood vessels in the neck are severed but the spinal cord remains intact.

The bleeding knife must be sterilized before each new animal is cut. Where large number of
animals are slaughtered, several knives should be in use. Any animal with a dirty skin contains large
number of bacteria. The knife becomes contaminated when it cuts through the skin. This could
cause bacteria to enter the blood stream and spread through the body. The knife must therefore
be sterilized regularly in order to prevent a build-up of bacteria and the transfer of these to other
carcasses.

A hand basin/sterilizer has been provided within the convenient distance from the bleeding point.
Heat causes blood to coagulate, so the knife should be rinsed with cold water before it is placed in
the sterilizer.

4.2.6 Bleeding

At least 6-8 minutes must be allowed for bleeding and 3-4 minutes for sheep. If shorter period is
allowed, blood will drip on the dressing floor,

Causing contamination in the work area or a loss of blood meal if by products are to be
manufactured.

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The bleedings trough slopes steeply in the direction of a floor drainage opening situated directly
below the bleeding point. It is advisable to drain the blood separately, so there should be a
second opening for washing water. The opening, which is not in use, must be closed with a plug.

are still problems attached to the disposal of blood other than by processing in rendering plant.
If blood is disposed off in the drainage system, it overloads the purification works as well as
cause unpleasant odours.

The minimum time allowed for bleeding and the amount of blood per species are:

Buffalo: 6 minutes, 13-15 litres blood

Sheep: 5 minutes ,1.3-2 litres blood

The provision of a boot – washing trough at the exit prevents bloody boots from contaminating
the passageways outside the bleeding area.

4.2.7 Blood collection / Blood Handling

The aim is to maximize the capture of valuable blood and minimize the loss of blood to the
wastewater. thereby reducing nitrogen, phosphorus and BOD in the wastewater. This is
particularly important since blood is not removed in physical pre-treatment equipment like
screens, clarifiers and floatation systems.

- Ensure stunning devices are properly functioning to maximize rapid bleeding – out of the
animal.
- Ensure the animals are properly stuck so they are thoroughly bled out before leaving the
blood collection area.
- Check that adequate hang time is available so that the carcass is only dripping an occasional
drop of blood when it leaves the blood collection area. if necessary, provide drip pans past
the blood trough to prevent blood accumulation on kill room floor.
- Dry clean blood troughs and drip pans with a squeezer, or other appropriate tool, during
sanitation and, if necessary, between shifts.
- Collect and transfer to rendering plant, the ‘’ first rinse’’ water from blood trough sanitation,
if possible.
- Electrical stimulation of carcasses maximizes blood recovery from the carcasses where it can
be collected.

Routine Maintenance

- Where possible, dry clean up blood spills.

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- Repair or replace pump and valve seals as required to minimize or eliminate leaks of blood.

- strive to continuously eliminate pipe and equipment blood leaks and spills.

4.2.8 Beheading

The head is removed after the bleeding process. The cut must be made in line with the animal’s
ears to ensure that the hide or skin will keep the right shape. The head must not be removed
from the carcass until bleeding is over. Once the head has been removed, it is demasked based
on market requirements. At the same time the tongue is removed, the nasal cavities are rinsed
and the head dehorned where applicable. An important requirement is that the head, which has
been removed, must be identifiable as part of the relevant carcass for inspection and grading
purposes.

4.2.9 Dressing Process including Removal of the Hide / Skin

The factors, which determine the suitability of a tanned hide or skin, do not start with the
Curing process, but with the removal of the hide or skin from the carcass. When once it has
been removed from the carcass, the handling it receives immediately determines the quality
level.

The final shape of the hide or skin in more important. The value of the processed hide or skin
depends on the way in which the cutting lines are made on the carcass.

Factors to be kept in mind during the removal of hides or skins are:

1. Hygienic and clean conditions will help to maintain the quality of the hides and skins.
2. Contact between the meat and the hide or skin must be prevented at all costs.
3. Use a flaying knife, and handle it with care because hides and skin can be badly damaged by
cuts and flaying marks and this lowers their value.
4. The hide or skin must be removed from the carcass immediately after slaughter while it is
still warm, as this makes its removal easier.
5. As little blood as possible should come into contract with the hide or skin.
6. Do not sacrifice the value of the hide or skin for the sake of the carcass. If correct flaying
methods are used, neither needs to be damaged.
7. Do not use a flaying knife if it is possible to pull the hide or skin off the carcass, especially in
the carcass of sheep where the skin can be eased off by hand.

8. All cuts to the hide or skin must be made from the inside to the outside to prevent
contamination.

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9. Contamination of the carcass because of dirty hands, hooks rollers and protective clothing
must be prevented.
10. To prevent contamination, lactating udders must be cut off as soon as possible and placed in
a container.

Factors to be remembered during the Dressing process

Dressing must be done in such a way that:

1. Hide/ skin damage is kept to the minimum and where possible eliminated completely.
2. No excess blood appears on the hide/skin
3. No damage is done to fat or meat or the carcass
4. Contamination is not transmitted to the carcass from the hide/skin or hands, instruments or
equipment
5. No hairs or pieces of skin are left on the dressed carcass
6. All sexual organs or parts of them are completely removed
7. Cow udders are removed on the slaughter line and placed in containers
8. No unnecessary and injudicious cuts, excisions and marks are made on carcasses during the
meat inspection
9. The forequarter is sawn or cut through in such a way that no damage occurs to the carcass
or the offal
10. During evisceration contamination by stomach or intestine contents, uterus contents, urine
or gall is prevented
11. No part or parts of the offal are left in the carcass
12. Damage to any offal is prevented during dressing or evisceration
13. Carcasses are halved without deviating from the centre line of the spinal column to prevent
damage to any meat cuts.
14. All spinal marrow in removed from halved carcass
15. All loose blood vessels, fat, bone, glands, membranes and removable blood from the neck
and carcass are removed during the final dressing process.
16. All remaining blood is removed from the neck and shoulder sections by pumping the front
leg.

4.2.10 Evisceration

Evisceration means the removal of the viscera or gut from the carcass. It follows immediately
after the removal of the hide/ skin in the case of sheep, etc.

For either a mechanical evisceration table or individual paunch/ gut holders can be used for the
reception and inspection of these products. Facilities must be provided for the eviserator to do
his job hygienically. In the case of a mechanical conveyor belt, boot washing, apron washing and
other washing/ sterilising facilities must be made available. There must be facilities for the
sterilisation of the evisceration plant form or offal containers.

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Important points during evisceration

- Evisceration must take place as soon as possible after slaughter.

- Before evisceration the anus must be dressed and removed
- Damage to any organs such as the bladder, uterus, gall bladder, paunch or gut must be
avoided at all costs. These organs contain bacteria which can contaminate both the inside
and the outside of the carcass.
- It is not possible to clean the contaminated surfaces by washing. These surfaces will have to
be cut away in order to get rid of all visible contamination.
- The eviscerator must not cut into any organ, nor may he remove the gall bladder from the
liver.
- The gall bladder must also not be emptied on to the floor, but must be placed in a suitable
container and taken to the retention/ condemnation room where it will be emptied and
gallstones recovered.
- It is of the utmost importance the hands should be washed regularly during this process. All
knives/ saws used for dressing must also be sterilised regularly and must never be put down
on the floor.
- Organs in the carcass must not be separated during evisceration. Only the spleen may be
removed.
- All staff involved in the flaying, evisceration and inspection of such carcasses must wear
protective goggles, gloves and masks as well as their normal protective clothing.

4.2.11 Marking Carcass

The application of identification, classification and approval marks must be done in such a way
as to do no harm to the appearance of the carcass. These marks must never be placed on the
part of the carcass where the cuts are expensive, but preferably on the cheaper parts. Only
edible oil should be used for marking purposes.

4.2.12 Halving the carcasses

Carcasses must be sawn through to simplify handling during loading and to make possible an
effective carcass inspection.

While using electric carcass saws, special attention must be given to the following while
carcasses are being sawed:

- Carcass must be sawn straight down the middle so as not to damage expensive cuts.
- If the carcass is cut off in the centre, this may affect its classification.

4.2.13 Final Trimming of Carcasses

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After inspection and before the final washing, all approved carcasses can be finally trimmed and
the following removed or cut off:

- Spinal cord
- left-over bits of skin and intestines
- portions of male and female genitals
- bloody membranes on the inside of the neck, and aorta

4.2.14 Washing the Carcass

After a carcass has left the final inspection point, it is sprayed with water to remove all blood, slight
blood marks, bone dust and marrow before going to the cold room for cooling.

Carcass must not be washed until all contaminated portions have been cut away to prevent
contamination. Further contaminated meat or fat surfaces cannot possibly be rendered microbe-free by
spraying them with water. On the contrary, when surfaces that are already contaminated get washed
this can actually spread the bacteria if water droplets splash on to adjacent areas and other carcasses.
Contaminated surfaces must of necessity be cut away and the intestinal membranes removed in order
to get rid of visible contamination. Chlorinated water can also be successfully applied after the visible
contamination has been cut off.

It is not advisable to wash carcasses before evisceration, as this encourages slaughter hands to wash
their mistakes away.

It is generally recommended therefore that only approved, uncontaminated carcasses should be washed
with running water in order to remove from the carcasses any bone splinters and blood which might be
present. Adequate time and rail length should be available so that the carcasses can drip dry,
eliminating excess moisture in the cold room.

4.2.15 Cooling

Temperature Control and Storage of Meat

The main reason for chilling meat is to control the spread of bacteria and certain other microbes such as
yeast and moulds. In this way, meat shelf life is lengthened by slowing down the multiplication of
organisms, which cause meat to spoil, and of microbes, which causes food poisoning.

Other reasons for chilling meat are to reduce the rate of harmful chemical changes such as rancidity of
fats, and to improve handling qualities. The number of microbes found on the surface of the meat
immediately following slaughter will depend on how hygienically the work in the slaughter house has
been done. Unpleasant odours and sliminess, indicating that the meat is going bad, are present when
bacteria have increased to 107 bacteria/cm2.

Chilling

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Chilling is used for short-term storage. During chilling meat must be kept as close to 2o C as possible
without actually freezing it. Low air temperatures together with high air speed result in a lower net
weight loss.

The ideal chilling room will:

(a) Inhibit the growth of surface bacteria;
(b) Prepare a firm, dry carcass surface, where the risk of contamination during handling and transport
will be much less; and
(C) With a minimum mass loss of carcasses.

Both air temperature and humidity must be carefully controlled. Humidity must be maintained at about
90%-95%. If the humidity is too high, the carcasses will not dry, and if it is too low, excessive
dehydration and darkening of the meat will take place.

Chilling speed

The speed at which a carcass is chilled depends on:

(a) certain properties of the carcass such as species, size and fat coverage; and
(b) chilling conditions such as the difference in temperature between the product and the air and the
rate of movement of the surrounding air.

In order to increase the speed of chilling, the following steps can be taken:
(a) Increase the difference in temperature.
(b) Increase the air speed.
(c) Reduce the thickness of the meat.

Important Factors to be considered in connection with the chilling facilities.

A refrigeration unit, which has been well designed and well maintained, may still not function effectively
because air does not circulate efficiently around the heat source.

Cold air must be distributed evenly through the room following a circular flow pattern. The fan of the
denser must not direct the cold air directly on to the carcasses, as a deflection of the air movement will
affect the effective cooling of other parts of the room. The more the air is forced to move around the
product, instead of through open spaces, the better is the cooling. It is preferable to have the air blown
at right angles to the rails instead of along their lengths.

Carcasses must be spaced evenly in the chiller. The capacity of the chiller, which is determined by the
rail lengths, must not be exceeded. This will overload the refrigeration unit and lead to inefficient
cooling, with the possibility of faster spoilage.

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The recommended rail spaces for the different species are:

660-750 cm per beef carcass, or 6 sheep carcasses with a minimum spacing of 5 cm between carcasses.
As a result of the risk of condensation, warm carcasses must not be put into a cold room with chilled
meat. It is not advisable to hang different kinds of carcasses or carcasses which differ considerably in
size in the same room because the rate at which they cool down will differ.

Ice on the evaporation unit insulates the refrigeration mechanism. It is normal for ice to form on the
evaporation coil. The ice must therefore be thawed and removed from the spiral at regular intervals.
Water which freezes on the spiral comes from:
- losses from the carcasses by evaporation;
- warm, moist air coming in through open doors;
- the insulation, especially if this is damaged; and
- cleaning activities which leave water behind in the room.

Excessive ice formation causes more frequent defrosting. It can be avoided by:
- not overloading the chiller;
- closing the door;
- repairing damaged insulation; and
- mopping up all water during the cleaning process.

Heat loss exceeds the chilling capacity

When the refrigeration unit is overloaded, the temperature rises and remains higher than it should be
until the unwanted cause is removed.
In cold storage rooms the heat load includes:
- Motors of fans
- Lights
- Machinery/equipment
- Poor insulation of walls/floors
- Staff
- The product load being greater than was provided for in the design
- Warm air coming in through the doors.

In the last case, air curtains can be useful to prevent warm air from entering the chiller. If this is not
possible, the fans must be switched off whenever the doors are open. Another possibility is to use
plastic curtains to reduce the loss of cold air while the doors of the cold storage room or freezer are
open.

Loading periods must be as brief as possible. The doors of the cold-storage room must be closed as
soon as the loading is completed. Condensation of partly chilled carcasses must be avoided.

4.2.16 Transport

Vehicles used to transport meat must be designed and constructed

- To protect food from contamination during transport; and

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- Be able to be effectively cleaned and if needed, sanitized.

- Area used to transport food should be preferably separated from the driver’s compartment and
any passenger areas.

Material of construction

- The food transport area of the vehicle shall be constructed of material which is impervious,
non-toxic, easily cleaned and resistant to corrosion, chipping or flaking.
- When considering the type of material used, durability and resistance to impact should also
be considered.
- All joints in the flood area shall be sealed and the sealing material shall be impervious to
moisture.
- Doors may be hinged or sliding and fitted with flexible seals and closure mechanisms
capable of exerting pressure on the seals. When doors are closed the meat storage
compartment shall be impervious to moisture and dust.
- Floors shall be insulated, smooth and impervious and may be lined with suitable materials to
protect from damage.

Examples of suitable materials are polystyrene cool room panels or insulated fiber glass
preferable not less than 35mm thickness. Examples of floors linings include aluminum checker
plate sheet or fiberglass.

Maintenance of the food transport vehicle

The food transport compartment is to be maintained in good repair. For example:

- Flaking paint, rust or damage to the surface of the area shall be repaired
- If the damage will increase the risk of contamination or affect the ability to
- Maintain the correct temperature (e.g. hole in paneling), repairs should occur immediately.
- The area used to transport food shall be cleaned after each use (e.g. daily).
- Any spills should be cleaned as soon as possible.

Temperature control during transportation and delivery

During the transport and delivery, all perishable food must be kept at less than 5o C.

To assist in controlling the temperature during transport, the area of the vehicle used to transport food
shall be insulated; and to keep the food at less than 5o C, either:
- Ice shall be used; or
- A vehicle supplied with a refrigeration unit.

As a general rule refrigeration unit will be required when the transport times are greater than 2 hours.
irrespective of transport time, if perishable food is being transported and delivered at temperatures
greater than 5o C.

Use of ice during transportation

- Ice shall be made from a potable water source and be free from any visible contamination.

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- An adequate quantity of ice shall be supplied with the product to keep the product at less
than 5 degree C.
- Ice shall be present at all times during the transport period and at delivery to the customer

Vehicles with refrigeration units

- It is recommended that all refrigeration units be serviced at least annually.
- This service would include a calibration of any temperature gauges.
- To assist in keeping the food at less than 5o C it is recommended that the
- Refrigeration unit be running prior to loading any food.

Food handling and storage practices

Food should be protected from contamination before and after transport

During transport:
- Chemicals must not be placed in the area used to transport food;
- Food transport vehicles must not be used to transport food unless the food carrying
compartment is in a hygienic condition.
- All persons involved in handling food during transportation (including pick-up and delivery)
must follow good personal hygiene practices.

4.3 Cleaning the Plant and Equipment

No refuse or waste materials, whether solid or liquid, must be allowed to accumulate except so far as
may be unavoidable for the proper operation of the process. Waste materials should be removed from
working area at frequent intervals throughout the working day.

Dry cleaning before wet cleaning has potential to bring down the effluent load as well as improve
recovery of inedible for rendering.

Provide appropriate tools for dry cleanup, such as squeegees, shovels, dump carts, vacuums, etc.
Adapt squeegees to fit within blood troughs.

Assign workers during the production shift(s), at breaks and lunch to dry cleanup materials from the
floors for rendering plant.

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Clean-up routines at the end of work-periods must be carried out promptly to prevent the drying
out of product debris that may be difficult to remove later as well as result in microbial build up.

Consider establishing and enforcing written standard operating procedures for dry cleanup, either at
the end of the production shift or at the start of the sanitation shift.

Dry cleaning is followed by wet cleaning using pressure cleaning using hoses fitted with hand-
operated triggers and where the use of hot water is necessary, thermostatically controlled steam
and water valves should be used. Knife sterilizers should be insulated and covered.

Potable water must be used for all wet cleaning routines.

Detergents must be properly used to ensure physically clean equipment; clean equipment must be
protected from possible recontamination.

Before beginning each work period, a documented pre-production check must be carried out of all
work areas, equipment, tools and utensils, etc. to ensure they are hygienically acceptable and
suitable for production. These checks must be carried out and signed off by a nominated individual.

All product contact surfaces of equipments, tools and utensils, must be cleaned as frequently as
necessary throughout work period to prevent build up of micro-organisms and contamination of the
products.

Non-product contact surfaces must be cleaned as frequently as necessary to prevent accumulation

of product debris, dirt, refuse and other extraneous matter.

Critical areas must be designated for specific attention as a part of a permanent sanitation schedule.
The frequency of the cleaning required for each area including floors, equipment, utensils, walls and
vehicles and the requirements for adequate cleaning must be clearly defined. Detergents,
disinfectants, the means of application and the strength of the sanitizer must be specified.

Product trays must not come into contact with the floor or walls and must not be subject to splash
or spray from cleaning operations.

Each plan must designate a single individual who is held responsible for the cleanliness of the plant.

4.4 Water Management

Lower water use per animal will lead to lower waste loads on a total mass basis. Less water
would be used if a scrap of meat is picked up during dry cleaning than if it is hosed to a floor
drain during wet cleaning.

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If water is sourced from private supplies, microbiological tests is recommended to test the
quality of water. Since quality of water may change at different times, testing water samples at
least once a month will indicate whether microbiological contamination is occurring on site or
whether the water is potable.

Water distribution systems

Water distribution system should be kept in good condition so that water does not become
contaminated. Water tank should be cleaned regularly to prevent any build up of organic or
mineral material that could act as a source of microbial growth and contamination. Even well
maintained water distribution systems suffer from a buildup of organic matter over time. To
prevent this from affecting water quality, it is good practice to drain and clean the entire system
at least annually as well as when any contamination incident occurs.

Consider establishing a maintenance inspection program to inspect all hose nozzles and
equipment spray nozzles and measure flow rates, where possible, at lease annually. Replace
nozzles discharging excessive flow.

Carry out regular inspections of the water distribution systems for signs of damage, corrosion,
leaks etc. The frequency of inspection will depend on the likelihood of a problem being found
(once a month may be sufficient for well designed premises that are kept in good order). Keep
an accurate, dated account (e.g. in a maintenance notebook) of the date and result of each
inspection and of any corrective action taken.

Use the appropriate pressure and volume of water for sanitation according to each application.
This will reduce water consumption.

Consider installation of “electronic eyes”, foot valves or other devices on spray cabinets, carcass
washers, eviscerating machines, chill tanks and other large water users to shut off the water
when no animals are present.

Evaluate installing water meters and monitoring potable water usage for: 1) each department
within the plant, 2) each shift, and 3) individual machine that use large quantities of water, such
as carcass washers.

Monitoring water use on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis can detect daily variations, as well as
long-term trends. Gradually increasing water use for an individual piece of equipment may
indicate whether spray nozzle openings are slowly wearing out. Significant water flow during
idle shifts ad weekends may indicate water leaks.

Consider establishing baseline quantities and holding each departmental in-charge manager
responsible for water usage for his department.

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Use push-to-open nozzles on hoses. This will reduce water consumption for sanitation
significantly.

Clearly identify potable and non-potable water systems and particularly water outlets to avoid
misuse of non-potable water. Make sure there are no opportunities for non-potable water to
enter the potable distribution system, for example, through siphoning back from a drain.

4.5 Cleaning Chemical Management

Detergents, disinfectants, sanitizers and other chemicals employed in the cleaning and sanitizing
routines must be approved for use in food processing establishments, safe to use and effective
for their intended purpose. They must be used in such a way that the products are not
adversely affected. Strong smelling substances, which may contaminate or taint the products
must not be used.

All detergents, disinfectants, sanitizers and other chemicals used for cleaning must be properly
labeled and stored safely to avoid the risk of product contamination.

Cleaning agents and disinfectants are stored away from food handling areas so that chemicals
do not contaminate food.

Low phosphorus or non-phosphorus cleaning compounds should be preferred as cleaning

agents. Chemicals such as organic surfactants (butyl oxy ethanol) and caustic cleaners (NaOH or
KOH) are such examples. Overall benefit is reduced phosphorous in the effluent. However, this
may entail higher costs, food safety concerns, lower effectiveness and potential harm to
aluminum and copper equipment.

4.6 Sanitation and Hygiene

Hot water for disinfections

Where hot water is used for disinfecting tools, minimum temperature of 82oC is recommended.
To maintain the effectiveness of sterilizers a continuous flow of water with overflow ducted to a
drain is required.

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Knife blades/junctions and other tools should be fully immersed. Ideally, fit temperature
indicators. Avoid temperatures above 90o C.

Hygiene Practices

Hand washing facilities for staff handling exposed meat are fitted with taps designed to prevent
cross contamination. Staff handling exposed meat should not use taps controlled by
conventional hand operated taps as this may lead to re-contamination. Elbow operated taps
should not be used as staff may use hands to operate them. Install taps that can be activated
using knees or feet or automatically be sensors.

Careful and frequent hand washing will do much to reduce contamination. Therefore hand-
washing facilities must be sufficient and the water supply is adequate.

Basically, there should be two sites where the staff can wash their hands – the rest room and
the working area where sufficient hand washing facilities must be placed close to the working
places. If the hand-washing facilities are situated in particular areas away from working places,
there is a great risk that they will not be used.

It must be impressed on the staff that hand-washing must be done:

 Before work starts
 After using the toilets
 After touching dirty objects and materials
 After smoking and eating

It must be impressed on the staff that hands will be contaminated if used for scratching the skin or
the hair, correcting clothes and picking the nose. Bacteria may be transmitted to the hands by these
acts and thereafter transmitted to meat (food) which is handled by hand.

Special guidelines concerning hand-washing must be followed. The management of slaughter

house/slaughter facilities or the authorities may require the use of a special bacteriostatic soap or
dipping of the hands after washing in a germicidal rinse etc. Use of a nail brush is recommended
because bacteria often hide along and under the nails.

Employees Hygiene Guidelines

Employees working in slaughter house are required to maintain high standards of personal
cleanliness while at work and take all necessary precautions to prevent contamination of the
meat and materials used in the processing operation. In this regard they must:

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a) Keep as clean as is reasonably practicable, parts of their bodies which are liable to come in
contact with the meat. Fingernails must be kept short, clean and must not be varnished.

b) Wash and disinfect their hands on entering a work area, at frequent intervals during work
periods and each time work is resumed.

c) Keep any cut or abrasion on any exposed part of their person covered with a suitable
waterproof dressing.

d) Not wear personal adornments or jewellery of any kind, including watches, except for plain
wedding rings.

e) Strictly refrain from smoking, spitting or eating in working or storage areas.

All persons working in or passing through working areas must wear sufficient clean, light colored
washable protective clothing and a head covering of a suitable type. A fine mesh hair net must
also be worn. The protective clothing must be changed at least daily or more frequently if
required and arrangements must be made for the collection and laundering of soiled protective
clothing. Outdoor clothing must not be worn over in place of protective clothing.

Employees who work in the slaughter house must not be allowed to pass through other work
areas where meat cutting operations are carried out without taking effective precautions to
prevent cross contamination. Employees who are required to work in the slaughter house and
in meat cutting areas must change their protective clothing and wash and disinfect their hands
between the changeover.

Persons likely to contaminate meat must be prohibited from handling lit. Only persons duly
authorized will be allowed to handle meat.

A valid medical certificate must be held for any person assigned to work on and handle meat.

Employees and factory visitors who are suffering from stomach disorders or any conditions that
may cause infection must not be allowed to work on or handle the products. Immediately a
member of staff becomes aware that they are suffering from, or they are a carrier of, any
infection likely to cause food poisoning they must inform the Senior site Manger who must then
immediately inform the relevant health authority. Staff must obtain clearance from their
medical doctor before returning to work after any gastro-intestinal infection.

Working clothes

The clothing of slaughter house workers must be clean. The purpose is not to protect the
worker against contamination but to protect the meat/food against contamination. Working
clothes must be used exclusively in the working area and nowhere else. If possible, it is
advisable to avoid admittance from the unclean area to the clean area without changing clothes.

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Working routines should be planned in a way that the staff works either in the clean area or in
the unclean area. The staff may eventually be allowed to go from clean to unclean work but
never in the opposite direction, except when they have changed working clothes and washed
hands.

Working clothes should be comfortable and easy to wash. Their design should encourage good
hygiene habits. Light coloured working clothes show the need for cleaning earlier than dark
coloured working clothes.

Aprons made of washable or even waterproof materials, such as rubber, are recommended.

Working clothes should be free of loose adornments (buttons, sequins etc.). During work
jewellery, wrist-watches etc. are prohibited as these objects may be sources for contamination
and make hand-washing difficult.

Working clothes should ideally be supplied by the slaughter house and a laundry service is
recommended to assure a certain level of hygiene.
Arrangements for storage of aprons and tools should be available outside toilets and rest rooms.

Hair covering

Human hair and beards are normally heavily contaminated with bacteria and to prevent
contamination of food a hair or beard covering in the process area is a necessary part of the
working clothes.

Many different types of hair coverings are seen in the food industry. It is important that the hair
is completely covered and that the covering is clean. Disposable or washable hair and beard
coverings are recommended.

Gloves

If the use of gloves is indicated they must be kept in the same good hygienic conditions as
hands, otherwise it is better to avoid their use. Gloves may be of rubber or plastic and they are
used to protect the meat against contamination. They may also be used to protect the hands
against knife cuts and will then be made of steel. Great care should be taken to keep ascertain
hygienic standard of these gloves.

4.7 Lighting

Adequate lighting is fitted throughout the premises so that hygiene procedures can be carried
out effectively. Suitable conditions are provided for ante and post-mortem.

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In practice adequate lighting means at least:

540 lux at inspection points
220 lux in workrooms
110 lux in other areas

Enclose fluorescent tubes or light bulbs in waterproof and shatterproof covers for ease of
cleaning and to minimize the risk of contamination of food by glass fragments if there are
breakages.

4.8 Preventive Maintenance

Slaughter house floor and equipment that are not kept in good repair and condition are a significant
potential source of contamination (especially physical contamination) of food. Poor maintenance
may also allow the entry of other sources of physical, microbiological and chemical contamination.
Procedures are needed to minimize the risk of such hazards causing illness to consumers.

 If the fabric of the building (walls, floors, roofing etc.) is not maintained in good repair, foreign
material such as fragments of

 masonry and mortar, pieces of wall or roof tile, paint flakes, rust, insulation etc. may
contaminate the product.
 Deteriorating surfaces are more difficult to keep clean.
 If the roof or windows leak, rainwater may enter the premises. This is a potential source of
microbiological contamination.
 Inadequate building maintenance may allow pests to enter the premises. Pests are a significant
source of microbiological and physical contamination.
 Plumbing fixtures and drains that are not regularly maintained could allow non-potable, or
waste water containing microbiological contamination to enter food-handling areas and
contaminate the product.
 Ventilation systems that are not maintained in good condition may be a source of air-borne
microbiological and physical contamination (e.g. dust and dirt particles).
 Poorly maintained equipment may be a source of physical contamination such as nuts and bolts,
washers, small metal or plastic components, swarf, non food-grade lubricants etc. It may also lead
to breakdowns, production delays and product deterioration; if for example, chillers are out of
action.

Training on maintenance

Staff need training on the need to avoid contamination of food during maintenance work, to use
correct maintenance materials and storage of materials, equipment and spares safely and to report
problems promptly.

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Maintenance inspection

Establish a timetable for inspecting all parts of the premises and particularly those areas where food
is handled, as well as vehicles and containers used for transporting food. Inspections can give early
warning of potential maintenance problems so that action can be taken to prevent contamination,
an accident or more serious deterioration.

Frequency of inspection

Frequency will depend upon intensity of wear or damage being found. Food handling areas will be
given more attention. Specialist equipment, particularly those with temperature control (e.g.
chillers, heat treatment equipment) are likely to need regular attention.

Building maintenance

Inspections should include external and internal parts of the premises, such as fencing, yards, stores,
loading/unloading areas, lairages /animal holding areas, roofs, roof spaces, guttering, damp courses,
drain pipes, drains, ventilation systems, plumbing, light fittings etc.

Surfaces

Inspections should include floors, walls, ceilings, doors, windows and screens as well as food contact
surfaces. Exterior damage may allow damp to penetrate the building and lead to mould growth on
interior surfaces.

Fittings and Equipment

Inspections should include conveyors, cutting surfaces, control systems, processing equipment,
cooking, chilling and freezing equipment, metal detectors, shackles, filters, components, bearings
and lubrication points. Manufacturer’s maintenance manuals are helpful in identifying components
that need regular inspection or adjustment.

Preventive maintenance programme

A preventative maintenance programme would help avoid the need for emergency repairs and may
provide an opportunity for improvements that could reduce future maintenance costs. Repair or
replace damaged or worn surfaces or items as soon as is practicably possible to keep all areas in good
condition, but particularly food handling areas. Make sure that temperature control equipment (e.g.
chillers) is repaired without delay as storage or processing of foods at incorrect temperatures can allow
the growth or survival of food poisoning bacteria. If a temporary repair has been made to prevent
contamination, make sure that the need for a permanent repair is added to the maintenance
programme. Repairs in food handling areas should normally be carried out during breaks in production.
If it is necessary to repair items while production is in progress, the food must be properly protected
from contamination while the work is being carried out. Spare parts and maintenance materials – make
sure that all parts and materials used in repair work are compatible with food safety. Store parts and
materials so they they do not act as sources of contamination.

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5. LEGISLATIONS, REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS

5.1 Consent to Establish and Operate

This act implies that no industrial plant (any plant used for any industrial or trade purposes) can
emit any air pollutant (any solid, liquid or gaseous substance including noise) into the
atmosphere without prior consent of the Delhi Pollution Control committee.

Giving effect to this notification, Delhi Pollution control Committee issues “Consent to Establish”
to any industrial plant before its establishment and “Consent to Operate” before the plant starts
its operation.

Consent to Establish is the first step for any industry/trade (this includes any activity involving
manufacturing process or and or emitting pollution, by way of water pollution, Air and Noise
pollution viz.). EDMC would obtain Consent to Establish for the operator. The consent to
establish will be granted by DPCC within a period of four months after the receipt of the
application for consent. DPCC would grant the consent applied for subject to such conditions
and for such period as may be specified in the order, or refuse consent.

Consent to Operate/Renewal shall be applied before commissioning of the unit in the prescribed
application format available in Delhi Pollution control committee. Consent to Operate/Renewal
is to be granted only after the Delhi Pollution Control Committee is satisfied that the slaughter
house has completed all other formalities such as EDMC license, power, water connection, and
have installed the requisite Pollution Control Devices. DPCC may revoke consent to any industry
before expiry of the same in case of any violation.

Consent fees are established based on total capital investment and average water consumption.

5.2 The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

The objective of Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act is to prevent, control & abate air
pollution. The consent under this act requires the compliance with the following condition: -
i) Control equipment of such specification as DPCC may approve.
ii) Control equipment referred above shall be kept at all times in good running condition.
iii) Chimney, wherever necessary, of such specifications as DPCC may approve.

No person operating any industrial plant, in any air pollution control area shall discharge or
cause or permit to be discharged the emission of any air pollution in excess of the standards laid
down by the DPCC.

Under this act, slaughter house maintains stack height for boiler and DG sets as prescribed in
the standards. The slaughter house has to conduct periodic ambient air monitoring at places
identified by DPCC, noise monitoring at site boundary limits at site and stack monitoring for
boiler.

Stationary DG sets (5 KVA and above) must maintain acoustic enclosure/acoustic treatment of
room. The same has been complied with in the slaughter house design.

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5.3 The water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

The act applies to all establishments discharging effluents in water or on land. The Act prohibits
use of stream or well for disposal of industrial effluent. Water standards for disposal of effluent
to land, surface water and river body is laid down under the act.

Cess Act

This act is to provide for the levy and collection of a cess on water consumed by persons
carrying on certain industries and by local authorities. For the purpose of measuring and
recording the quantity of water consumed, every person carrying on any specified industry and
every local authority shall affix meters. The details are as follows:

[SCHEDULE II]
(see section3)

Purpose for which water is consumed Maximum rate under sub – Maximum rate under Sub-
section (2) of section 3 section (2A) of Section 3
1. Industrial cooling, spraying in Five paise per kilolitre Ten paise per kilolitre
mine pits or boiler feeds
2. Domestic purpose
3. Processing whereby water gets
polluted and the pollutants are -
a) Easily biodegradable; or
b) Nontoxic; or Two paise per kilolitre Three paise per kilolitre.
c) Both nontoxic and easily bio
degradable. Ten paise per kilolitre Twenty paise per kilolitre.
4. Processing whereby water gets
polluted and the pollutants ate –
a) Not easily biodegradable; or Fifteen paise kilolitre Thirty paise per kiloliter.
b) Toxic; or
c) Both toxic and not easily
biodegradable.

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5.4 The Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986

Under the Environmental (Protection) Act, guidelines are specified for classification of slaughter
houses, wastewater treatment systems and Standards are laid for effluent (wastewater)
parameters and solid wastes.

The classification of slaughter houses is given in Schedule-I (Guideline – 12|). Description of

wastewater treatment system is given in Schedule – II {Guideline – 12 (i)}.

The effluent Standards for various categories of slaughter house are given in Schedule – II
(Guideline -12. The Standards for method of disposal is given in Schedule-II {Guideline-12 (i)}.

Schedule – I
(Guideline 12)
Classification of Slaughter Houses

S.No. Category of Slaughter House Criterion

1. Large Annual Slaughtering Capacity:
Large Animals >40,000 and
Goats/Sheep > 6.00,000
Or
Daily Live Weight Killed> 15 – 70 Tons
2. Medium Annual Slaughtering Capacity:
Large Animals 10,001 – 40,000 and
Goats/Sheep 10,00,01 - 6.00,000
Or
Daily Live Weight Killed 15 – 70 Tons
3. Small Annual Slaughtering Capacity:
Large Animals >10,000 and
Goats/Sheep Up to 1,00,000
Or
Daily Live Weight Killed 5 Tons

Schedule – II
(Guideline 12 (i))
Wastewater Treatment Systems

S.No. Category of Slaughter House Essential Treatment

1. Large Self cleaning type screening, anaerobic
treatment, aerobic treatment and filter press
for dewatering of sludge.
2. Medium Two stage screening (bar type), anaerobic pond
and polishing pond
3. Small Two stage screening (bar type), anaerobic pond
and polishing pond

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Schedule – III
(Guideline 12)
Standards

S.No. Category of Parameters Limit not to exceed, mg/I

Slaughter
House/Unit
1. Large Slaughter Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand 100
Houses (Capacity (BOD5) at 20oC
above 70
TLWK/day) Suspended Solids 100

Oil and Grease 10

2. Medium and small Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand 500
Slaughter House (BOD 5) at 20oC
(Capacity above 70
TLWK/day)
3. Meat Processing

(a) Frozen Meat Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand 30

(BOD 5) at 20oC

Suspended Solids 50

Oil and Grease 10

(b)Raw Meat From Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand 30
Own Slaughter (BOD 5) at 20oC
House
Suspended Solids 50

Oil and Grease 10

( C) Raw Meat - Disposal via Screen and
From other Septic Tank
Slaughter House

4. Sea-Food Industry Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand 30

(BOD 5) at 20oC

Suspended Solids 50

Oil and Grease 10

Note: (i) TLWK – Tons of live weight killed

(ii) In case of disposal into municipal sewer where sewage is treated, the industries shall install screen
and oil and grease separation units.
(iii) The industrial having slaughter house along with meat processing units will be considered in meat
processing category as far standard re concerned.

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Schedule – III
(Guideline 12 (i))
Standards

S.No. Type of Waste Capacity of Method of Disposal

Slaughter House
1. Water consisting of inedible Large Rendering
offals, animal tissue, organs,
body parts, carcasses etc. Medium Rendering or
Controlled
Incineration

Small Burial
2. Stomach/intestinal contents, All categories Composting
dungs etc.
3. Sludge from wastewater All categories Composting
treatment system

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5.5 Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) d) “Veterinary doctor” means a person registered with
Rules, 2001 the Veterinary Council of India established under the
India Veterinary Council act, 1984 (52 of 1984).
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 26th March, 2001 3. Animals not to be slaughtered except in recognized
or licensed houses – (1) No person shall slaughter any
S.O.270(E) – Whereas the draft Prevention of Cruelty to animals within a municipal are except in a slaughter
Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2000 were published, house recognized or licensed by the concerned
as required by sub-section (1) of section 38 of the authority empowered under the law for the time being
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (59 of 1960), in force to do so.
under the notification of the Government of India in
the Ministry of Social Justice and empowerment (2) No animal which –
number S.O. 1165 (E) dated the 26th December, 2000
in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, (i) is pregnant, or
sub Section (ii) dated the 27th December, 2000 inviting
objections and suggestions from all persons likely to be (ii) has an offspring less than three months old, or
affected thereby, before the expiry of the period of
sixty days from the date on which copies of the Gazette (iii) is under the age of three months or
containing the said notification are made available to
the public. (iv) has not been certified by a veterinary doctor that it
is in a fit condition to be slaughtered.
And, whereas copies of the said Gazette were made
sufficient for livestock subject to veterinary inspection (3) The municipal or other local authority specified by
available to the public on the 1st January 2001. the Central Government for this purpose shall, having
regard to the capacity of the slaughter house and the
And, whereas no objection or suggestion has been requirement of the local population of the area in
received from the public in respect of the said draft which a slaughter house is situated, determine the
rules by the Central Government. maximum number of animals that may be slaughtered
in a day.
Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by
sub-section (1) and (2) of section 38 of the Prevention 4. Reception area or resting grounds – (1) The
of Cruelty to Animals act, 1960 (59 of 1960), the Central slaughter house shall have a reception area of
Government hereby makes the following rules, namely adequate size sufficient for livestock subject to
: veterinary inspection.

1. Short title and commencement: (1) These rules may (2) The veterinary doctor shall examine thoroughly not
be called the Prevention of cruelty to Animals more than 12 animals in an hour and not more than 96
(Slaughter House) Rules, 2001. animals in a day.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their
publication in the Official Gazette. (3) The veterinary doctor after examining the animal
shall issue a fitness certificate in the form specified by
2. Definitions – In these rules unless the context the Central Government for this purpose.
otherwise requires –
(4) The reception area of slaughter house shall have
a) “Act” means the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals proper ramps for direct unloading of animas from
Act, 1960 (59 of 1960); vehicles or railway wagons and the said reception area
shall have adequate facility sufficient for feeding and
b) “Slaughter” means the killing or destruction of any watering of animals.
animal for the purpose of food and includes all the
processes and operations performed on all such (5) Separate isolation pens shall be provided in
animals in order to prepare it for being slaughtered. slaughter house with watering and feeding

c) “Slaughter house” means a slaughter house wherein

10 or more than 10 animals are

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arrangements for animals suspected to be suffering (4) Every slaughter house as soon as possible shall
from contagious and infectious diseases, and fractious provide a separate space for stunning of animals prior
animals, in order to segregate them from the remaining to slaughter, bleeding and dressing of the carcasses.
animals.
(5) Knocking section in slaughter house may be so
(6) Adequate holding area shall be provided in planned as to suit the animals and particularly the
slaughter house according to the class of animals to be ritual slaughter, if any and such knocking section and
slaughtered and the said holding area shall have water dry landing area associated with it shall be so built that
and feeding facilities. escape from this section can be easily carried out by an
operator without allowing the animal to pass the
(7) The resting grounds in slaughter house shall have escape barrier.
overhead protective shelters.
(6) A curbed-in bleeding are of adequate size as
(8) Ante-mortem and pen area in slaughter house shall specified by the Central Government shall be provided
be paved with impervious material such as concrete in a slaughter house and it shall be so located that the
non-slippery herring-bone type suitable to stand wear blood could not be splashed on other animals being
and tear by hooves, or brick, and pitched to suitable slaughtered or on the carcass being skinned.
drainage facilities and the curbs of said impervious
material 150 to 3000 mm high shall be provided around (7) The blood drain and collection in a slaughter house
the borders of livestock pen area, expect at the shall be immediate and proper.
entrances and such pen shall preferably be covered.
(8) A floor wash point shall be provided in a slaughter
5. Lairages – (1) Every anima after it has been subjected house for intermittent cleaning and a hand-wash basin
to veterinary inspection shall be passed on to a lairage and knife sterilizer shall also be provided for the sticker
for resting for 24 hours before slaughter. to sterilize knife and wash his hands periodically.

(2) The lairage of the slaughter house shall be adequate (9) Dressing of carcasses in a slaughter house shall not
in size sufficient for the number of animals to be aired; be done on floor and adequate means and tools for
dehiding or belting of the animals shall be provided in a
(3) The space provided in the pens of such lairage shall slaughter house with means for immediate disposal of
be not less than 2.8 sq. mt. pr large animal and 1.6 sq hides or skins;
mt. per small animal.
(10) Hides or skins shall be immediately transported
(4) The animals shall be kept in such lairage separately from a slaughter house either in a closed wheelbarrow
depending upon their type and class and such lairage or by a chute provided with self-closing door and in no
shall be so constructed as to protect the animals from case such.
heat, cold and rain.
(5) The lairage shall have adequate facilities for (11) Floor wash point and adequate number of hand
watering and post-mortem inspection. wash basins with sterilizer shall be provided in a
dressing area of a slaughter house with means for
6. Slaughter – (1) No animal shall be slaughtered in a immediate disposal of legs, horns, hooves and other
slaughter house in sight of other animals. arts of animals through spring load floor chutes or
sidewall doors or closed wheelbarrow or trucks are
(2) No animal shall be administered any chemical, drug used in a slaughter house, care shall be taken that no
or hormone before slaughter except drug for its point wheelbarrow or truck has to ply under the
treatment for any specific disease or ailment. dressing rails and a clear passage is provided for
movement of the trucks.
3) The slaughter halls in a slaughter house shall provide
separate sections of adequate dimensions sufficient for (12) Adequate space and suitable and properly located
slaughter of individual animals to ensure that the facilities shall be provided sufficient for inspection of
animal to be slaughtered is not ensure that the animal the viscera of the various types of animals slaughtered
to be slaughtered is not within the sight or other in a slaughter house and it shall have adequate facilities
animals. for hand washing, tool sterilization and floor washing

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tool sterilization and floor washing and contrivances for portion and ceiling shall be painted with water resistant
immediate separation and disposal of condemned paint to maintain them clean.
material.
f) Window Ledges – Window ledges shall be sloped 45
(13) Adequate arrangements shall be made in a degrees to promote sanitation and to avoid damage to
slaughter house by its owner for identification, glass in windows from impact of hand trucks and
inspection and correlation of carcass, viscera and head. similar equipments, the windowsills shall be 1200mm
above the floor level with proper ventilation through
(14) In a slaughter house, a curbed and separately mechanical venting or through working vents shall be
drained area or an area of sufficient size, sloped 13mm provided in the roof structure.
per metre to a floor drain, where the carcasses may be
washed with a jet of water, shall be provided by the g) Doorways and Doors – (i) Doorways through which
owner of such slaughter house. product is transferred on rails or in hand trucks shall be
at least 1500 mm wide. (II)Doors shall either be of rust
7. Slaughter house building – The different resistant metal construction throughout, or if made
construction of a slaughter house shall be built and with rust resistant metal having tight softwood, they
maintained by its owner in the manner as specified shall be clad on both sides with soldered or welded
below namely: seams. (III) Doorjambs shall be clad with rust resistant
metal securely affixed so as to provide no crevices for
a) Plant Building – (i) Materials used shall be dirt or vermin and the juncture at which the door joins
impervious, easily cleansable, and resistant to wear and the walls shall be effectively sealed with a flexible
corrosion. (ii) Materials such as wood, plaster board, sealing compound.
and porous acoustic-type boards, which are absorbent
and difficult to keep clean shall not be used. h) Screens and Insect control – All windows, doorways
and other openings that may admit flies shall be
b) – The floors shall be non-absorbent and non slippery equipped with effective insect and rodent screens and
with rough finish and shall have suitable gradient for ’Fly chaser’ fans and ducts or air curtains shall be
drainage. provided over doorways in outside wall of food handing
areas that are used for dispatch or receiving.
c) Coves – Coves with radii sufficient to promote
sanitation shall be installed at the juncture of floors and i) Rodent-Proofing-Except in the case of solid masonry,
wall, in all rooms and which shall not be less than 100 walls constructed of glazed tile, glazed brick, and the
mm. like, expanded metal or wire mesh not exceeding 12.5
mm mesh, shall be embedded in walls and floor at their
d) Interior Walls - (i) interior walls shall be smooth and junction and such mesh shall extend vertically and
fat and constructed of impervious materials such a horizontally to a sufficient distance to exclude he
glazed brick, glazed tile, smooth surface Portland entrance of rats and other rodents.
cement plaster, or other non-toxic, non-absorber
material applied to a suitable base. (ii) Walls shall be j) Vehicular areas for Trucks – (i) Concrete paved areas,
provided with suitable sanitary type bumpers to properly drained and extending at least 6 metres from
prevent damage by hand trucks, carcass shunks, and building, loading docks or livestock platforms shall be
the like. (iii) The interior walls shall have washable provided at places where vehicles are loaded or
surface up to the height of 2 meters from the floor so unloaded. (ii) Pressure washing jets and disinfection
that the splashes may be washed and disinfected. facilities for trucks carrying animals shall also be
provided at such places.
e) Ceilings – (i) Ceilings shall be of the height of 5 mts or
more in workrooms and so far as structure conditions k) Drainage – (i) All parts of floors where wet
permit, ceilings shall be smooth and flat (ii) Ceilings operations are conducted shall be well drained and as
shall be constructed of Portland cement plaster, large far as possible, one drainage inlet shall be provided for
size cement asbestos boards with join sealed with a each 37 metre square of floor space (ii) A slope of
flexible sealing compound, or other acceptable about 20 mm per metre to drainage inlets shall be
impervious material and finished so as minimize ensured that the floor slopes uniformly to drain with no
condensation, mould development, flaking and low spots, which collect liquid. (iii) Floor drains shall not
accumulation of dirt. (iii) The walls above glazed type be provided in freezer rooms or dry storage area ans
when floor drains are installed in rooms where the

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water seal in traps in likely to evaporate without s) for thorough and efficient washing of carcasses, a
replenishment, they shall be provided with suitable higher pressure between 1000 kPa to 1 700 kPa shall be
removable metal screw plugs. maintained.

l) Traps and vents on drainage lines – (i) Each floor t) floor washing point shall be provided preferably for
drain, including blood drains, shall be equipped with a minimum 37meter square on slaughter floor and
deep seal trap (P-, U-, or S-Shape) (ii) Drainage lines working departments
shall be properly vented to the outside air and be
equipped with effective rodent screens. a. a constant supply of clean hot water shall be
available in the slaughter hall and work rooms during
m) Sanitary drainage lines – Drainage line from toilet working hours and the hot water required for frequent
pans and urinals shall not be connected with other sterilizing of equipment shall not be less than 82 degree
drainage lines within the plant and not discharge into a Celsius.
grease catch basis and such lines shall be installed so
that if leakage develops, it shall not affect the product b. where necessary for sanitary maintenance,
or the equipment. equipment shall be constructed and installed so as to
be completely self-draining.
n) Lighting and ventilation – (i) Unrefrigerated work
rooms shall be provided with adequate direct natural c. the following materials shall not be used in an
light and ventilation or ample artificial light and abattoir, namely –
ventilation by mechanical means. (ii) Uncoloured glass
having a high transmissibility of light shall be used in (i) copper and its alloys in equipment used for edible
skylights and windows (iii) The glass area shall be products.
approximately one-fourth of the floor area of a
workroom and such ratio shall be increased where (ii) cadmium in any form in equipment handling edible
there are obstructions, such as adjacent buildings, products
overhead catwalks, and hoists, which interfere with the
admittance of direct natural light. (iv) Distributed (iii) equipment with painted surface in product zone.
artificial lighting of much quality and at such distances
as may be specified by the Central Government shall be (iv) enamel containers or equipment is not desirable
provided at all places where adequate natural light is and
not available or is insufficient.
(v) lead
o) Every abattoir shall be provided with distributed
artificial light of an overall intensity of not less than 200 (x) all permanently mounted equipment shall either be
lux at the distances as may be specified by the Central installed sufficiently away from walls (minimum 300
Government throughout the slaughter hall and mm) to provide access for cleaning and inspection.
workrooms and at places where meat inspection is
carried out, the overall intensity of artificial light shall (y) all permanently mounted equipment shall either be
be not less than 500 lux. installed sufficiently above the floor (minimum 300mm)
to provide access for cleaning and inspection or to
p) every abattoir shall be provided with suitable and completely sealed (watertight) to the floor area.
sufficient means of ventilation to the outside air and
the construction of the slaughter hall shall be so 8. Engagement in slaughter house – (1) No owner or
arranged that the dressed carcasses are not exposed to occupier of a slaughter house shall engage a person for
direct sunlight; slaughtering animals unless he possesses a valid license
or authorization issued by the municipal or other local
q) a sufficient, safe, potable and constant supply of authority.
fresh water shall be available at adequate pressure
through the premises. (2) No person who has not attained the age of 18 years
shall be employed in any manner in a slaughter house.
r) the pressure for the general purpose of floor washing
may preferably be 200 to 330 kkPa for through floor (3) No person who is suffering from any communicable
cleaning. or infectious disease shall be permitted to slaughter an
animal.

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9. Inspection of Slaughter house – (1) The Animal

Welfare Board of India or any person or Animal Welfare
Organization authorised by it may inspect any slaughter
house without notice to its owner or the person
incharge of it at any time during the working hours to
ensure that the provisions of these rules are being
complied with.

(2) The person or the Animal Welfare Organization

authorized under sub rule (1) shall after inspection
send its report to Animal Welfare Board of India as well
as to the municipal or local authority for appropriate
action including initiation of legal proceedings if any, in
the event of violation of any provision of these rules.

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 6. Others

6.1 Establishment of Quality Management System/ ISO 9001

Establishing a good quality system is a pre-requisite for establishing HACCP system. Quality
management system conforming to ISO 9001 will include establishment of quality policy and
objectives as well as many prerequisite programmes. Standard Operating Procedures
(SOP’s) include but not limited to

- Sanitation and hygiene

- Pest control
- Maintenance of equipment and facility
* Slaughtering and dressing
* Chilling
* Dispatch
* Offal Processing
- Water supply controls
* Plant Water supply
* Chlorination
- Boiler
- Refrigeration
- DG sets
- Rendering Plant
- Other related activities.

6.2 Food safety & HACCP

Normally, the microbiological safety of food products is being assessed by the

analysis of a small sample of each batch of the finished product. This approach to
testing has a number of disadvantages: -

 Inadequate control of safety as inspection is only at final stage

 Destructive
 Batch variation or uneven distribution of micro- organisms in food not taken into
account
 Time-consuming and expensive
 Process control only involves a limited number of staff

In a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system, all potential hazards to food
safety at each stage of the production chain are identified. A Critical Control Point (CCP) is a
point, step or procedure where control must be applied to prevent, eliminate or reduce a
food hazard to an acceptable level. To assure food safety, each CCP is monitored to check
that it is within critical limits.

If limits are in danger of being broken, corrective action must be taken. This systematic
approach, if properly implemented should ensure the safe production of food.

The seven principles of a HACCP system are: -

1. Conduct a hazard analysis and develop production flow chart

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 2. Identify the CCP’s
3. Establish critical limits i.e. set target levels which must be met to ensure the CCP in
under control
4. Establish a system to monitor control of the CCP
5. Establish corrective action to be taken when monitoring indicates that a CCP is not
under control
6. Establish procedures for verification to confirm that the HACCP system is working
correctly
7. Establish documentation/ records for all procedures

Microbiological testing of carcasses can be used to help confirm that the procedures are
working. HACCP procedures have the following advantages: -

 Proactive in identifying hazards before they occur

 Maximise product safety
 Non- destructive
 Provides evidence of due care in all stages
 Cost effective
 Food safety assurance involves all production staff

6.3 manpower requirements

6.4 Safety measures

A safe healthy work environment is the responsibility of everyone working in the

slaughter house and health and safety shall not be sacrificed for expediency.
Unacceptable performance of health and safety duties will not be tolerated.

The hazards that may be involved when operating the abattoir include: -

 Slipping hazards on wet floor

 Overhead and falling objects
 Sharp knives and saws.
 Exposure to sanitizing agents
 Handling animal carcasses

Practices should be implemented to reduce and eliminate slaughter house hazards.

These include: -

 Wearing of a hard hat

 Handholds for exit and entry
 Positioning the entry ramp at as shallow an angle as possible
 Keeping all cutting tools sharp and in good repair.
 Keeping cutting tools encased or enclosed when not in use.
 Wearing cut resistant gloves.
 Making available material safety Data Sheets for all sanitizers used.
 Proper placement of captive bolt.

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  Securely shackling animals when transporting to or placing in the abattoir
 Having first aid kit, emergency numbers and accident procedures list
available at a known, accessible location.
 Advising all slaughter house worker safety aspects

Safety audit by third party such as National Safety Council should be conducted
periodically. Recommendations provided in the report shall be implemented in a
staged manner.

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