1. General
The premises shall be well constructed. They shall be in good repair. As far as may be practicable they, shall offer no entrance or harbourage for rodents.
2. Floors
Unless otherwise prescribed in these regulations the floors:
- shall be constructed of impervious and easily cleaned material that is resistant to wear and corrosion , and shall be adequately graded and drained, will all angles between the floors and walls, rounded off to a height of not less than 75mm from the floor, or
- shall be constructed of wood with the boards laid on a firm foundation and tightly cramped together and with all angles between the floor and walls rounded.
3. Walls
The internal surface of the walls shall be constructed of dust-proof materials, and shall be smooth and non-absorbent, and shall be ale to be readily cleaned without damage to the surface.
If the walls are liable to be wetted or fouled, they shall be constructed of impervious material to a height of not less than 2 meters from the floor level.
The internal surface of the walls shall be painted or shall have such other finish as an inspector may approve.
4. Ceilings
Every ceiling or, where no ceiling is provided, the undersurface of the roof, and every support shall be of such construction and finish as to:
(i) provide a smooth surface that is dust-proof, and
(ii) permit efficient and thorough cleaning.
All trusses shall be completely enclosed.
In every room in which food is manufactured, prepared, or packed, or in which utensils or hands are washed, the ceiling or, where no ceiling is provided, the undersurface of the roof, shall have a smooth surface that is non-absorbent and light in colour and that can be readily cleaned without damage to the surface.
No ceiling shall be less than 2.4 metres above the floor, measured at the lowest point of the ceiling.
5. Lighting
The illumination provided in the premises shall be of sufficient intensity to enable effective inspection and cleaning of the premises, and to enable the purposes for which the premises are used, to be satisfactorily carried out.
In every room in which food is manufactured, prepared or packed, or in which hands are washed, the minimum illumination intensity shall be 215 lux at a point 900 mm above the floor.
All lighting on the premises shall be reasonably free from glare and shall be distributed so as to avoid shadows.
6. Ventilation
The premises shall be provided with such ventilation as is necessary to maintain comfortable conditions for persons in the premises.
As far as practicable, the ventilation shall be adequate:
(i) to prevent the air on the premises from becoming excessively heated; and
(ii) to prevent condensation and the formation of excess moisture on the floors, walls and ceilings, and
(iii) for the removal of objectionable odours, fumes and impurities from the premises.
If the premises do not have adequate natural ventilation for the purposes of paragraphs one and two of this clause, they shall be provided with mechanical ventilation that obtains airflow from a clean area.
Where the premises are provided with a mechanical ventilation system, it shall discharge air (including any vapours, gases, and other products produced during any cooking or similar food preparation process or any food manufacturing process in a manner that does not create a nuisance.
Where the premises are provided with a mechanical ventilation system, an inspector may require that it shall include such canopies, air ducts, fans and other similar appliances as he considers necessary for the proper operation of the system in accordance with this clause. The canopies, air ducts, fans and other appliances shall be designed and constructed of material that will facilitate cleaning and prevent grease and condensate from dripping on to food and on to food preparation surfaces.
7. Space
The premises shall contain sufficient floor space:
(i) to enable every person working there to carry out his work efficiently;
(ii) to allow easy access for cleaning purposes.
Every working space, aisle, passageway or area on the premises, to which it is intended that customers shall have access, shall be unobstructed and shall be sufficiently spacious to allow movement by workers and customers, without contamination of food or food contact surfaces by clothing or personal contact.
8. Changing facilities
The premises shall be provided with adequate and suitable lockers or other facilities for the orderly storage of clothing and personal belongings of workers on the premises.
The lockers or other facilities shall be situated and arranged so as to prevent the contamination of food by contact with clothing.
Where more than 4 persons work in the premises, a separate changing room shall be provided; and where those persons include at least one person of each sex, separate changing rooms shall be provided for each sex.
The facilities required by paragraph one of this clause shall be provided in a room in which the ceiling or (where there is no ceiling) the under surface of the roof, and every wall is constructed of or covered with a smooth surface material.
9. Toilet accommodation
The premises shall be provided with sufficient toilet accommodation, in accordance with the building code set out in the First Schedule to the Building Regulations 1992, for the workers on the premises.
All toilet accommodation shall be convenient to the places where the workers for whom it is provided are engaged in their work.
10. Wash hand basins
The premises shall be provided with wash hand basins for the use of the workers engaged there, on the following basis:
(i) where not more than 10 workers are engaged on the premises, there shall be not less than one basin
(ii) where more than 10 workers are engaged on the premises, there shall be at least 1 separate basin for every whole group of 10 workers, together with an additional basin for the remaining workers.
Every wash-hand basin required under paragraph one of this clause shall be installed as near as may be practicable to the parts of the premises where the workers for whose use it is intended will be engaged.
11. Water supply
The premises shall be provided with an adequate supply of clear, wholesome water.
12. Hot water supply
The premises shall be provided with a hot water system having a storage capacity approved by an inspector to supply; during the time in every day when the premises are used, an adequate and continuous supply of piped hot water:
- at a temperature of not less than 63°C at all sinks and other equipment that are used for the washing of containers, utensils and appliances
- at a temperature of not less than 83°C for every other purpose for which hot water is required under those regulations.
13. Plumbing
The premises shall be provided to the satisfaction of an inspector with sinks, sanitary fixtures and accessories or other plant and appliances, that are of sufficient capacity to enable all appliances, containers, utensils and equipment used in connection with the manufacture, preparation, packing or storage of food for sale, or consumption of food, or sale of food, to be cleaned efficiently and rendered hygienic in accordance with the requirements of these regulations.
14. Sewage disposal
The premises shall be provided with sufficient, suitable drains to carry away the whole of the sewage and liquid wastes from the premises to a sewer, sewerage tank, or other out-fall, in accordance with the requirements of the building code set out in the First Schedule to the Building Regulations 1992.
15. Yards
Every yard or outside working area on the premises, and every pathway connected with such yard or working area, shall be provided to the satisfaction of an inspector with an area that is paved with an impervious washable surface. The paved area shall be provided with adequate drainage.
Reasonable access from other parts of the premises shall be provided to every yard on the premises.
Where no yard is provided on the premises, they shall contain a separate room or enclosure for the storage of refuse containers and any articles or materials that are not required for immediate use.
This clause shall not apply to any premises that are only used for the depositing and temporary holding of food pending loading or delivery.
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