The Specified Risk Material Regulations 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

10.—(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 pursuant to paragraph (9) below.

(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 below, 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 pursuant to paragraph (9) below; or

(b) in the case of a sheep or 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 pursuant to paragraph (9) below, and the rest of the carcase is consigned to a slaughterhouse or cutting premises authorised pursuant to regulation 15(7) below.

(3) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation and to regulation 15 below, the occupier shall ensure that the specified risk material which has been removed is stained blue immediately after removal from the carcase, and in any event before the carcase is frozen.

(4) Without prejudice to the storage requirements of regulation 28 below, the occupier shall ensure that the 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 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 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 carcases pursuant to 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 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 complied 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

11.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, when specified risk material is removed from the carcase of a ruminant animal 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.

(2) Without prejudice to the storage requirements of regulation 28 below, the occupier of those premises shall ensure that the 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 Minister 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

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

Measures in relation to stained specified risk material

13.  Where specified risk material has been stained in accordance with regulations 10 or 11 above or 25(5)(b) below, the occupier of any premises at which such material is stored or handled and, in the case of a place approved under regulations 22 to 24 below, the operator of that place, 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.