Regulation 3 Construction, layout and equipment of slaughterhouses, knackers' yards and lairages

(1)

The occupier shall ensure that a slaughterhouse, knacker’s yard or lairage is constructed and maintained so as to prevent any injury being caused to any animals confined therein, and that there are no sharp edges or protrusions therein with which such animals may come into contact.

(2)

Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1) above, it shall be the duty of the occupier of a slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard to ensure–

(a)

that where animals are held prior to slaughter lairage is provided which is–

(i)

suitable for its purpose and adequate in size and construction for the number and kind of animals confined therein;

(ii)

constructed so as to provide shelter from the sun and from adverse weather for all animals confined therein;

(iii)

kept clean and in good repair;

(iv)

properly drained and constructed so as to enable the floor to be easily cleaned;

(v)

provided with drinking facilities, racks, mangers or other equipment adequate in number and size for the watering and feeding of all animals confined in the lairage, fixed where practicable, and so constructed and placed that they are easily accessible to all the animals, can readily be filled and cannot readily be fouled;

(vi)

adequately ventilated and adequately lighted for the proper conduct of all operations carried on there;

(b)

that any field which is used in connection with the slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard and in which any animal awaiting slaughter is confined contains adequate drinking facilities for such animal;

(c)

that the surface of any part of the slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard over which any animal awaiting slaughter has to pass is constructed and kept so as to minimise the risk of the animal slipping thereon and in particular that such surface is sanded in frosty weather;

(d)

that the slaughterhouse or knacker’s yard is constructed so as to ensure that the blood of a slaughtered animal does not flow from the slaughterhall into the lairage;

(e)

that offal or refuse is not deposited in the lairage; and

(f)

that the place of slaughter is sited in such a way as to minimise handling of the animal at any time up to the point of slaughter.