# COMAR Title 10 — Maryland Department of Health

## Subtitle 15 — Food

### Chapter 02 — Crab Meat

#### Regulation .05 Plant Facilities.

*COMAR 10.15.02.05*

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.