The Specified Risk Material Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

Part III Requirements in relation to the removal and initial treatment of specified risk material

Initial treatment of bovine, sheep and goat carcases in a slaughterhouse

9.—(1) When a bovine animal is slaughtered in a slaughterhouse, or slaughtered elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse but brought immediately to a slaughterhouse to be dressed for human consumption, the occupier of the slaughterhouse shall ensure that all specified bovine material is removed from the rest of the carcase as soon as is reasonably practicable after the animal was slaughtered and before the carcase is presented for inspection in accordance with paragraph (9).

(2) When a sheep or goat is slaughtered in a slaughterhouse, or slaughtered elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse but brought immediately to a slaughterhouse to be dressed for human consumption, the occupier of the slaughterhouse shall ensure that—

(a) subject to regulation 15, all specified sheep or goat material is removed from the rest of the carcase at the slaughterhouse as soon as is reasonably practicable after the animal is slaughtered and before the carcase is presented for inspection in accordance with paragraph (9); or

(b) in the case of a sheep or a goat with one or more permanent incisor teeth erupted, the head, spleen and tonsils are removed at the slaughterhouse as soon as is reasonably practicable after the animal is slaughtered and before the carcase is presented for inspection in accordance with paragraph (9), and the rest of the carcase is consigned to an approved slaughterhouse or cutting premises.

(3) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation and to regulation 15, the occupier of a slaughterhouse shall ensure that any specified risk material is stained blue immediately after removal from a carcase of a ruminant animal, and in any event before the carcase is frozen except that, if the tongue is to be removed from the head of the ruminant animal, this shall be done immediately after slaughter of the animal and the head stained blue immediately after the removal of the tongue.

(4) Without prejudice to the storage requirements of regulation 28, the occupier of a slaughterhouse shall ensure that specified risk material does not come into contact with any other animal material while in the slaughterhouse and that it is disposed of in accordance with these Regulations.

(5) Material which is not specified bovine material may be separated from intestines which have been removed from the carcase of a ruminant animal before the intestines are stained.

(6) In the case of specified risk material which is intended to be examined by or on behalf of an inspector or a veterinary surgeon, the specified risk material shall not be stained until after the completion of the examination.

(7) In the case of scheme animals, the occupier of a slaughterhouse shall ensure that, once the specified bovine material has been removed, the remainder of the carcase (excluding the hide), is immediately stained yellow.

(8) The occupier of any slaughterhouse where specified risk material is removed from the carcases of ruminant animals in accordance with this regulation shall arrange or establish, in consultation with an official veterinary surgeon, a staff training programme to train staff to comply with those requirements of these Regulations which relate to the activities they perform on those premises.

(9) The occupier of any slaughterhouse shall permit an inspector or official veterinary surgeon, or a person acting under the responsibility of either of them, to—

(a) inspect the carcase of any ruminant animal slaughtered there, so that he can check whether the requirements of these Regulations have been compiled with; and

(b) mark each carcase which has been so checked and found to comply with the requirements of these Regulations,

and shall give to any such person such reasonable assistance as he may require.

Initial treatment of bovine, sheep and goat carcases elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse

10.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, when specified risk material is removed from the carcase of a ruminant animal at premises elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse, the occupier of the premises at which the specified risk material is removed shall ensure that it is removed as soon as is reasonably practicable after the death of the animal and that it is stained blue immediately, and in any event before the carcase is frozen except that, if the tongue is to be removed from the head, this shall be done immediately after slaughter of the animal and the head stained blue immediately after removal of the tongue.

(2) Without prejudice to the storage requirements of regulation 28, the occupier of premises mentioned in paragraph (1) shall ensure that specified risk material does not come into contact with any other animal material while on the premises and that it is disposed of in accordance with these Regulations.

(3) In the case of specified risk material which is intended to be examined by or on behalf of an officer of the Department or a veterinary surgeon, the specified risk material shall not be stained until after the completion of the examination.

(4) The provisions of this regulation shall not apply in the case of a post-mortem examination carried out by a veterinary surgeon or a veterinary practitioner at a farm, provided that he makes arrangements for the disposal of the whole of the carcase by burial there.

Rendering whole carcases

11.  Any person rendering a whole ruminant carcase shall do so in accordance with regulation 24 in the same way as if the carcase were specified risk material.

Exceptions from the requirement to stain specified risk material

12.  The requirements in regulations 9 and 10 to stain specified risk material shall not apply—

(a) if the specified risk material is to be sent to a veterinary or medical school, laboratory, hospital or similar institution for instructional, diagnostic or research purposes;

(b) to specified risk material which is intended to be used at premises approved under Article 10 of the Specified Risk Material Order (Northern Ireland) 1997;

(c) to specified solid waste.

Measures in relation to stained specified risk material

13.  Where specified risk material has been stained in accordance with regulations 9 or 10 or 25(5)(b), the occupier of any premises at which such material is stored or handled and, in the case of premises approved under regulations 22 to 24, the operator of those premises, shall take appropriate measures to ensure that colouring remains visible—

(a) in the case of stained specified risk material, other than the head of a sheep or goat, over the whole surface of the material; and

(b) in the case of the head of a sheep or goat, over the whole of the cut surface and the majority of the head,

until the stained specified risk material is incinerated or rendered.