HAR §11-35-10. Shucking and packing of shellfish

(a) Facilities. (1) Plant arrangement. (A) Plants in which shellfish are shucked and packed shall be located so that they will not be subject to flooding. Any shellstock subjected to flooding shall be relayed, depurated or destroyed. (B) Shucking and packing operations shall be conducted in separate rooms. A window shall be installed in the partition between the shucking and packing rooms. The window shall be equipped with a corrosion-resistant shelf draining toward the shucking room and, if necessary, curbed on the packing room side. Fly control screening may be accepted in lieu of a solid wall between the shucking and packing rooms, provided that the packing room is situated so that there is no likelihood of the shucked product or packing room equipment being contaminated by splash from the shucking room. (C) Packing rooms shall be large enough to permit sanitary handling of shellfish and thorough cleaning of equipment. (D) A separate room or rooms, or lockers shall be provided for storing employees' street clothing and personal articles. (2) Wet and dry storage of shellfish prior to shucking shall meet the requirements of §11-35-9(b)(3) and (b)(4). (3) The floors of all rooms in which shellfish are shucked or packed, or in which utensils are washed, shall be constructed of materials impervious to water, well maintained, and graded to drain. (4) The interior surfaces of rooms in which shellfish are shucked or packed, or in which utensils are washed, shall be smooth, washable, light-colored, durable, and well maintained. (5) Natural or artificial light shall be provided in all working and storage rooms to produce at least the intensity indicated below: Foot Candles of Illumination Type of Area (measured as incident light) Working surfaces in packing rooms. 25 Shucking benches and utensil washing areas. 15 Storage rooms, including cold-storage rooms. 5 (5) Light shields shall be provided to protect workers and food stuff from shattered glass. (6) Working rooms shall be ventilated to reduce condensation and mold. (7) Water supply. (A) The water supply shall be adequate and of safe and sanitary quality. (B) All shellstock storage rooms, shucking and packing rooms, and utensil washrooms shall be provided with sufficient water outlets. (C) An automatically regulated hot water system which has sufficient capacity to furnish water with a temperature of at least 130°F (54°C), during all hours of plant operation shall be provided. (D) Sufficient water shall be available for all plant needs. Non-pressure supplies shall not constitute compliance. (E) Hot (at least 100°F) (38°C) and cold water outlets shall be provided at each sink compartment, except that warm water may be acceptable at handwashing sinks. (8) Plumbing and related facilities. (A) Plumbing shall be installed in compliance with local plumbing codes. (B) There shall be no cross-connection between the approved pressure water supply and water from a non-approved source, and no fixtures or connections through which the approved pressure supply might be contaminated by back-siphonage. (C) Conveniently located, separate toilets shall be provided for each sex. Separate facilities are not required in family operations or when the plant has fewer than ten employees. (D) Hand-washing facilities shall be convenient to the work areas, and so located that the person responsible for supervision can readily observe that employees wash their hands before beginning work after each interruption. (E) The lavatories shall be provided with hot water (at least 100°F) (38°C). (F) Supplies of soap and single-service hand towels shall be available near the lavatory. (G) The toilet rooms shall be kept clean and in good repair. (H) Toilet doors shall be tight-fitting and self-closing. (I) A supply of toilet paper shall be available in the toilet rooms. (J) At least five-foot-candle illumination (natural or artificial light) shall be provided in toilet rooms, and toilet rooms shall be ventilated by direct opening to the outer air, or by a mechanical ventilating system. Air vents should be screened or have self-closing louvers. (K) No drainpipes or wastepipes shall be located over food processing or storage areas, or over areas in which containers or utensils are stored or washed. (9) Sewage shall be discharged into public sewers wherever possible. Where private sewage-disposal systems must be utilized, they shall be constructed and operated according to the applicable public health regulations and county ordinances, rules and regulations. All sewage disposal facilities shall be constructed and maintained so that waste will be inaccessible to flies and rodents. (10) Construction of shucking benches and tables. (A) Shucking benches and contiguous walls to a height of at least two feet above the bench tops shall be of smooth concrete, corrosion-resistant metal or other durable, non-absorbent material, free from cracks. (B) Benches shall drain completely and rapidly, and drainage shall be directed away from any shellfish on the benches. (C) Shucking stools and blocks shall be constructed so as to be easily cleaned. (11) Construction of utensils and equipment. (A) All utensils and equipment coming into contact with shucked shellfish, or ice used for direct cooling of shellfish, shall be of corrosion-resistant, non-absorbent, non-toxic and smooth material. (B) There shall be no exposed screw, bolt, or rivet heads in the parts touching or draining to the food, and all joints shall be welded or soldered flush and have a smooth surface. (C) Tanks, tubs and shucked shellfish storage containers shall be so located that their top rim is at least two feet above the floor. (D) All utensils and equipment shall be in good repair. (E) The blower drain shall not be directly connected to a sewer. (12) Vermin control measures. (A) The plant shall be constructed and maintained so as to prevent rodent entrance and infestation. (B) All outer openings to toilet and washrooms, shucking and packing rooms, storage rooms and locker rooms shall be screened or constructed to prevent the entrance of vermin. Effective in-plant vermin control measures shall be used to eradicate vermin which may enter the plant despite the screening. Doors should open outward and be self-closing. (C) Only such toxic materials as are required to maintain sanitary conditions shall be used in a shellfish plant. These toxic materials shall be identified, stored and used in such a manner as to prevent contamination of the product or ingredients, and to cause no health hazards to employees. (b) Sanitation. (1) General cleanliness. (A) Premises shall be kept clean and free of litter and rubbish. Miscellaneous and unused equipment and articles which are not necessary to plant operations shall not be stored in rooms used for shellstock storage, shucking, packing or repacking. (B) No animals shall be permitted in a shellfish processing plant. (C) Shellstock storage, shucking, and packing portions of the plant, when in operation, shall be restricted to the handling of shellfish. (D) Shuckers shall not go into or through the packing room without wearing a clean apron and washing hands thoroughly. (2) Cleaning of buildings and equipment. (A) Wash sinks shall be large enough to permit the complete immersion of the largest utensil to be sink-washed. A second compartment shall be provided in the sink for clear-water rinsing between washing and bactericidal treatment, unless some other method, such as a spray rinse, is provided. (B) All shelves, tables, and other equipment in the shucking and packing rooms shall be clean. (C) Wash tanks, blowers, and shellfish meat containers should be flushed or spray-rinsed with tap water after each emptying. Periodic clean-water flushing of shucking benches, utensils, table surfaces, and other equipment during working periods is recommended. (3) Bactericidal treatment of utensils and equipment. (A) All utensils and equipment in the shucking and packing rooms which come into contact with shucked shellfish shall be subjected to an effective bactericidal process at the end of each day's operation. (B) Returnable shipping containers shall be subjected to an effective bactericidal treatment process prior to reuse. (C) All utensils and other equipment shall be treated by a method of bactericidal treatment approved by the department. (4) Equipment and utensils which have been cleaned and given bactericidal treatment shall be stored so as to be protected against contamination. (c) Shucking and packing processes. (1) All shellfish to be shucked shall be obtained from a source conforming to the provisions of these regulations. (2) Shucking of shellfish. (A) Shellstock shall be reasonably free of mud when shucked. Water used in washing shellstock shall be from an approved source. (B) Only live shellstock shall be shucked. (C) Shucking knives shall be cleaned and sanitized prior to use and after any prolonged break (e.g., lunch breaks). (D) Empty shells shall not accumulate and shall be removed promptly from the shucking room. (3) Sorting and packing of shucked shellfish. (A) Shucked shellfish shall be graded, sized and packed in accordance with Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §161.350-161.145. (B) Shucked shellfish shall not remain on the shucking bench for more than one hour. (C) Skimmer tables shall be located so that they do not receive drainage from the delivery window. (D) Shuckers shall not place shucking containers on the skim met tables. (E) Shucking containers shall be rinsed with running tap water before each filling. (F) Shucked shellfish shall be packed in clean containers without exposing them to contamination. (G) Each individual package or container or fresh or frozen shucked shellfish shall have recorded on the package or label to be easily visible, the name and address of the packer, repacker, or distributor and certification number, and the date of packing-repacking. (4) Refrigeration of shucked shellfish. Shucked shellfish shall be cooled to an internal temperature of 45°F (7°C) or less within two hours after packing, and stored and shipped under similar temperature conditions. Packaged shellfish to be frozen shall be properly stacked to insure rapid freezing and shall be frozen at an ambient air temperature of 0°F (-18°C) or less. The packages should be frozen solid within twelve hours after the start of freezing. Frozen shellfish shall be handled in such a manner to remain frozen solid and held at 0°F (-18°C) or less at all times. (5) Ice shall be obtained from a source approved by the department and shall be stored and handled in a clean manner. (d) Each shucker-packer, repacker, shellstock shipper or reshipper shall establish and maintain a record system satisfactory to the department indicating from whom shellfish were purchased, the date of purchase, the area of harvest and the names and addresses of persons or firms to whom the shellfish were sold. (e) Personnel. (1) A person known to be infected with any communicable disease or who has an infected wound or open lesion on any exposed portion of his body, shall be excluded from the handling or processing of shellfish. (2) The certificate holder shall designate and identify to the department the individual who has the management responsibility for compliance with the items of these regulations having to do with plant and personnel cleanliness. (3) Employees shall wash their hands with soap and water before beginning work and again after each interruption. When manual handling of shucked shellfish becomes necessary, sanitized rubber gloves shall be worn, or the hands shall be washed and disinfected immediately before such manual handling. (4) Effective hair restraints shall be used by employees engaged in the shucking/packing of shellfish. (5) Employees shall not eat, drink or smoke in the shucking or packing rooms. [ Eff. SEP 18 1981] (Auth: HRS §§321-9, 321-10, 321-11, 328-21) (Imp: HRS §§321-11, 328-21)