Regulation .05 Plant Facilities.
Regulation .05 Plant Facilities.LinkCopy Citation
A.
The person-in-charge shall ensure that the equipment and facilities needed to process crab meat in accordance with the requirements of this chapter are provided and maintained in a sanitary and working condition.
B.
The person-in-charge shall ensure that:
(1)
The water supplied to a fixture is potable and meets the requirements of the Environment Article, Annotated Code of Maryland;
(2)
The sewage disposal system for the plant meets all applicable State and local codes and properly disposes of all wastewater;
(3)
Ice used in the manufacture of crab meat is produced from water that is potable and meets the requirements of the Environment Article, Annotated Code of Maryland;
(4)
The plant design and the flow of food through the plant minimize the potential for cross-contamination;
(5)
If uncooked crabs will be stored at the plant for more than 4 hours before cooking, a separate cooler is provided for uncooked crabs;
(6)
Partitions or linear distances are used to separate cooking areas, picking areas, and packing areas;
(7)
Floors in all processing areas and in refrigerated rooms are sloped to accessible floor drains that dispose of wastewater, in compliance with applicable plumbing codes;
(8)
Toilet rooms:
(a)
Are provided at the rate of one toilet for every 20 employees;
(b)
Do not open directly into a food processing or storage area; and
(c)
Are:
(i)
Separate for men and women; or
(ii)
Designed for use by not more than one person at a time.
(9)
A hand sink is:
(a)
Provided in the picking area at the rate of one hand sink for each 15 pickers;
(b)
Provided in the packing area;
(c)
Equipped with soap and paper towels for drying hands;
(d)
Accompanied by sanitizer in the picking and packing rooms for the sanitizing of hands; and
(e)
Equipped with hot and cold water under pressure;
(10)
A picking table is:
(a)
Adequate in size so that a picker does not contaminate crab meat during the picking of cooked crabs; and
(b)
Provided with sanitary paper towels in a dispenser within reach of a picker while at the table;
(11)
A three-compartment sink is:
(a)
Designed to allow immersion of utensils or equipment that will be cleaned and sanitized in the sink;
(b)
Provided in the plant for washing, rinsing, and sanitizing equipment and utensils; and
(c)
Equipped with hot and cold water under pressure; and
(12)
Waste containers are:
(a)
Provided inside the facility to be accessible to the workers;
(b)
Made to be easily cleanable;
(c)
Large enough to hold waste until the waste is taken off-site if the containers are outside waste containers; and
(d)
Vermin-proof, insect-proof, and placed on a hard and impermeable surface if the containers are outdoor waste containers, except in the case of chum containers that are removed daily.
C.
The person-in-charge may use a two-compartment sink instead of the three-compartment sink required in §B(11)(b) of this regulation, if the two-compartment sink:
(1)
Was installed before the effective date of this chapter;
(2)
Complies with all regulations applicable before the effective date of this chapter;
(3)
Performs the intended function;
(4)
Is maintained in a sanitary condition; and
(5)
When replaced, is replaced with a hand sink or three-compartment sink in full compliance with this chapter.