Reference No.: C9.03.01.01 Notice of alteration and approval process

Element: Notice of alteration and approval process
Factor: Meat plant alteration
Area: Licences and information provided to the director
Component: Food safety
Revision date: July 1, 2019
Last version: November 2016

Authoritative source:

Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001; O. Reg. 31/05 s. 7 (2)(a), 12 (1)(2)(3), 97 (1)

  1. (2) Under clause 6 (1) (c) of the Act, a director may refuse to renew or may suspend or revoke a licence to operate a meat plant if the director is of the opinion that,
    1. the premises, facilities, equipment and water used by the licensee in operating the plant do not comply with this Regulation.
  1. (1) No person shall make an alteration with respect of a meat plant unless the operator of the plant has given written notice of the proposed alteration to a director at least 30 days before making the alteration.

    (2) In this section,“alteration”, with respect to a meat plant, means,
    1. a change for which a building permit is required,
    2. any other significant change to the plant or its premises, facilities or equipment
    3. a significant change in the licensed activities that are carried on at the plant or the manner in which the activities are carried on, or
    4. a change to the list of names of persons, including corporations, that are operators of the plant, the list having been submitted to the director along with the licensee’s application for the issuance or renewal of the licence under clause 6 (1) (b).
    (3) The notice mentioned in subsection (1) shall be in a form approved by a director and shall contain,
    1. the name and address of the operator of the plant;
    2. the address of the plant;
    3. the name and address of the owner of the plant, if different than that of the operator;
    4. a description of the proposed alteration and the nature of the licensed activities to be carried out at the location that would be affected by the alteration;
    5. if the proposed alteration involves a change to the premises, facilities or equipment at the plant, the plans and specifications, if any, concerning the changes; and
    6. any other information that a director requires be included with the notice in order to determine if the proposed change complies with this Regulation.
  1. (1) The operator of a meat plant shall ensure that processing operations at the plant are performed in a manner that produces meat products that are safe.

Rationale:

Licensing of a meat plant is partially dependent on an assessment of the facilities and whether safe food products can be manufactured in the facility. A change for which a building permit is required, significant changes are made to the facilities, equipment premises, significant change in the licensed activities that are carried on or a change to the list of names of persons, including corporations, that are operators of the plant can have an impact on food safety and licensing status. Therefore, 30 days before any construction is undertaken or other changes are made, it is essential that such changes be communicated in writing to the director or designate and plans are reviewed. When the alteration involves a physical change to the facility or equipment, the operator should provide a description of the change, including specifying all materials to be used on floors, walls and ceilings, electrical systems, drainage, cleaning and disinfection system. The plans and specifications should identify product flow, people flow, air flow, inedible/garbage flow, sewage and wash water flow, and include dimensions and locations of all rooms, including coolers and freezers, showing the equipment design and layout. It is important to include specifications for materials to be used for paint, rust protectant and any other materials that will be used on surfaces of walls, ceilings, floors or equipment. A description of the water supply/system, water treatment system, and verification procedures should be provided; if a well is to be used, the type of well should be specified. A description of any overhead structures and their location is also required, as well as the expected volume of processing. All of these factors will assist in assessing the impact of the changes on food safety. Engineering input into the design and construction of such changes will assist operators in ensuring that this is the case. The operator should also ensure that local building permits are obtained. The director or designate will provide a final inspection and approval.

The regulatory requirements contained in this guideline will be met when:

(C9.03.01.01.01) the prescribed information pertaining to alterations is provided to the director or designate in advance of such alterations taking place, and approval is obtained for these changes.

Reference No.: C9.03.01.02 Facility start-up after construction

Element: Facility start-up after construction
Factor: Meat plant alteration
Area: Licences and information provided to the director
Component: Food safety
Revision date: March 1, 2009
Last version: Not applicable

Authoritative source:

Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001; O. Reg. 31/05 s. 7 (2), 97 (1)

  1. (2) Under clause 6 (1) (c) of the Act, a director may refuse to renew or may suspend or revoke a licence to operate a meat plant if the director is of the opinion that,
    1. the premises, facilities, equipment and water used by the licensee in operating the plant do not comply with this Regulation.
  1. (1) The operator of a meat plant shall ensure that processing operations at the plant are performed in a manner that produces meat products that are safe.

Rationale:

During construction or alteration of a meat plant, many conditions that may be hazardous to the production of safe food products may be present. It is therefore essential that a procedure be in place that will ensure that the plant be free of such hazards before food processing operations commence. This procedure should include the following: removal of construction waste, a thorough cleaning and sanitizing of each area, system and piece of equipment; and a thorough inspection. This inspection should include an internal inspection of the equipment to ensure no debris or contamination is present. Records of the post- construction cleaning, sanitizing and inspection activities should be kept as part of the sanitation program. A trial operation of each piece of equipment should take place; this is particularly important for new facilities and new equipment to ensure that the equipment will function as intended and will not contaminate food products. The facility should be inspected and approved by local municipal and any other appropriate authorities such as the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change for air emissions and waste disposal and the Ministry of Labour before a request is made for final inspection by the regional veterinarian. It is also important for an operator to ensure that the facilities and equipment are compliant with the Occupational Health and Safety Act before operations commence.

The regulatory requirements contained in this guideline will be met when:

(C9.03.01.02.01) procedures to ensure the removal of construction hazards have been effected and final approvals have been obtained from municipal and provincial authorities, including the regional veterinarian, before start-up of operations.