THE FOOD SAFETY INSPECTION BODY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA

REQUIREMENTS FOR SLAUGHTERHOUSES

REQUIREMENTS FOR SLAUGHTERHOUSES

- Slaughterhouses are built and operated in compliance with zoohygienic standards and veterinary, sanitary and environmental requirements.
- Slaughterhouses are built at a distance of at least 300 m from residential areas, farms, pastures, public places and health facilities.
- The slaughterhouse may be in the form of a separate building, a complex of buildings or as part of an organization producing and processing products of animal origin.
- According to the number of slaughterings per shift or per slaughter unit, slaughterhouses can be:
1. large: with a capacity of more than 300 slaughter units per shift;
2. medium: with a capacity of 30-300 slaughter units;
3. Small: up to 30 slaughter units.
- The slaughterhouse area is divided into the following 3 main zones:
1. pre-slaughter base - with sanitary slaughterhouse, quarantine department and isolator,
2. economic - with auxiliary buildings, warehouses of fuel, building materials,
3. production area - with main production buildings.
- There are special ponds filled with disinfectant solutions (dis-barriers) at the entrance and exit gates to disinfect the wheels of vehicles when entering and leaving the production area.
- Asphalt pavement of roads, loading and unloading areas, road and railway platforms, sanitary facilities, outdoor sheds shall be smooth, waterproof, easily washed and disinfected.
- The location of structures and buildings on the territory of the organisation excludes the following counterflows:
1. raw materials and finished products,
2. foodstuffs and animals, manure, production waste,
3. healthy and sick animals, as well as those suspected of having a disease.
- The slaughterhouse area is fenced and sloped to a storm drainage system for drainage of sewage, rainwater and snowmelt. Wastewater from the pre-slaughterhouse, sanitary premises and fuel farms must not be discharged into other premises of the organization.
- The area is kept clean. The area is watered during the warm season and cleared of snow and ice in winter.
- For refuse collection, tightly closed containers with lids are placed on asphalt, concrete or other areas that allow for easy cleaning. The sites are at least 25 metres away from production and storage areas.
- Rubbish and waste are removed from the containers at least once a day. After the rubbish is removed, the containers are washed and disinfected.
- The slaughterhouse shall have an isolated, concreted area for the collection of animal faeces and digestive tract contents for at least 30 days of storage and biotermic decontamination.
- The slaughterhouse must have a working place for veterinary and sanitary expertise and be equipped with appropriate laboratory equipment.
- The slaughterhouse must have adequate machinery for the transport of animals and products derived from slaughter.
- The slaughterhouse shall have a sanitary-hygienic zone in accordance with SN 245-71 "Sanitary Standards for the Design of Industrial Enterprises".
- The organization of the slaughter of agricultural animals in slaughterhouses and the requirements are defined by the Government of the Republic of Armenia Decree No. 993 of 2006.
- Hygiene requirements for water supply and water drainage systems, lighting, heating, ventilation, microclimate and noise, production and auxiliary furniture, basic and technological processes in pre-slaughterhouses of animals are specified by the Order of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Armenia on the approval of sanitary rules and hygiene norms N 2-III-4.1-07-2003 'Hygiene requirements for meat and meat products production organizations'.
- Economic entities carrying out slaughtering activities are operating on the basis of a conclusion on the activities of food chain operators, issued by the Food Safety Inspectorate.

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