Current through August 26, 2024
(1) GENERAL. A food
warehouse shall be constructed and maintained in compliance with this chapter.
Buildings, facilities, and equipment used in the operation of a food warehouse
shall be soundly constructed, and shall be capable of being maintained in a
clean and sanitary condition. A food warehouse shall be kept in good repair,
and in a clean and sanitary condition.
(2) EXTERIOR PREMISES.
(a) The premises immediately adjacent to a
food warehouse shall be all of the following:
1. Well-drained, so that water does not
accumulate around the food warehouse.
2. Kept in a neat and orderly
condition.
3. Free of conditions
that may contaminate food while the food is being received at, stored in, or
shipped from the warehouse.
4. Free
of conditions that may attract or harbor pests.
(b) Shipping and receiving areas, truck
aprons, rail sidings, driveways, and parking areas adjoining a food warehouse
shall be surfaced and maintained to facilitate good drainage. The areas shall
be kept clean to minimize the entry of airborne dust and tracked dirt into a
food warehouse.
(3)
FLOORS, WALLS, AND CEILINGS. Floors, walls, and ceilings in a food warehouse
shall be of sound construction, and shall be kept clean and in good repair.
Floors, walls, and ceilings in cold storage areas, frozen food storage areas,
toilet rooms, and areas used for the cleaning or storage of equipment shall be
constructed of smooth, impervious, and easily cleanable materials.
(4) DOORS AND WINDOWS. Doors, windows,
skylights, and other openings to the outside shall be tight-fitting, free of
breaks, and effectively screened or protected against the entry of rodents,
insects, birds, and other animals. External doors, other than overhead doors in
receiving and shipping areas, shall be self-closing. External doors shall be
kept closed when not in use.
(5)
LIGHTING. Lighting in every part of a food warehouse shall provide easy
visibility for every function performed in that part of the food warehouse.
Lighting shall provide easy visibility for cleaning, inspection, identification
of food, and visual evaluation of food condition. Artificial lights, skylights,
and other glass fixtures over exposed food shall be equipped with protective
shields or shatter-resistant bulbs.
(6) VENTILATION.
(a) A food warehouse, including food storage
and handling areas, locker rooms, toilet rooms, employee break rooms, and
garbage or rubbish storage areas, shall be adequately ventilated. Ventilation
shall be adequate to keep the food warehouse free of excessive heat,
condensation, vapors, obnoxious odors, smoke, and fumes.
(b) Heating, cooling, and ventilating
systems, including ducts and pipes over food storage and handling areas, shall
be designed or located to prevent conditions whereby drip or condensate may
contaminate food or food packages. Intake fans shall be equipped with filters
that are readily removable for cleaning and replacement. Intake fans, exhaust
fans, and ventilation ducts shall be kept clean and in good repair and shall be
screened or louvered to exclude dust and insects.
(7) REFRIGERATED AND FROZEN FOOD STORAGE
FACILITIES.
(a) Refrigerated and frozen food
storage facilities shall be mechanically refrigerated.
(b) If a refrigerated food storage facility
is used to store potentially hazardous food, the refrigerating capacity of that
facility shall be adequate to maintain air temperatures at or below 40º F.
(4° C.) at all times when the facility is loaded to maximum capacity,
regardless of reasonably foreseeable external temperatures.
(c) If a frozen food storage facility is used
to store potentially hazardous frozen food, the refrigerating capacity of that
facility shall be adequate to maintain air temperatures at or below 5º F.
(-15° C.) at all times when the facility is loaded to maximum capacity,
regardless of reasonably foreseeable external temperatures.
(d) Every facility used to store refrigerated
or frozen food shall be equipped with one or more temperature measuring
devices. Measuring devices shall be accurate, and shall be installed to measure
the warmest air temperature in the refrigerated or frozen food storage
facility.
(8) RECEIVING
AND SHIPPING DOCKS. Loading docks, truck bays, driveways, and rail sidings for
receiving and shipping food products at a food warehouse shall be kept free of
accumulated debris and spillage, and free of any foreign materials which may
contaminate food or damage food packages.
(9) TOILET FACILITIES.
(a) A food warehouse shall have a sufficient
number of toilet rooms to accommodate all warehouse personnel, according to
chs.
SPS
361 to 365 and applicable local regulations. Toilet
rooms shall be conveniently located, completely enclosed, well-lighted, and
equipped with tight- fitting, self-closing doors. Toilet rooms and fixtures
shall be easily cleanable, and shall be kept clean and in good
repair.
(b) Handwashing facilities
shall be located in or adjacent to every toilet room. Handwashing facilities
shall include hot and cold running water, soap in a soap dispenser, and a
sanitary single-service means of drying the hands. A sign directing warehouse
personnel to wash their hands shall be prominently posted in every toilet room
used by warehouse personnel.
(10) LOCKER AND OTHER PERSONNEL FACILITIES. A
food warehouse shall have lockers or similar facilities in which food warehouse
personnel can store street clothing and other personal items while working at
the warehouse. Locker areas, dressing areas, lunch and break areas, and similar
personnel areas shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition, so that
the areas are free of trash, food scraps, and litter which may attract or
harbor pests.
(11) GARBAGE AND
REFUSE DISPOSAL.
(a) Garbage and refuse shall
not be allowed to accumulate in a food warehouse or on the grounds surrounding
a food warehouse which are under the control of the warehouse operator. Garbage
and refuse shall be removed regularly, and as often as needed, to keep the
premises in a clean and sanitary condition.
(b) Garbage and refuse storage areas shall be
well-drained, and shall be constructed and maintained so that they do not
attract or harbor pests. Garbage and refuse shall be held in durable,
leakproof, easily cleanable and pest-resistant containers. Containers shall be
kept covered with tight-fitting lids, and shall be cleaned regularly to prevent
unsanitary conditions.
(c) Garbage
and refuse shall not be burned on the premises except in compliance with state
and local laws. Garbage and refuse shall not be burned on the premises if
burning may contaminate food.
(12) CONTROL OF PESTS.
(a) A food warehouse operator shall take
effective measures to prevent and, if necessary, control insects, rodents, and
other pests in and around a food warehouse. A food warehouse shall be free of
evidence of pest infestation, and shall be free of garbage, litter, and other
conditions that may attract or harbor pests.
(b) Pesticides and other hazardous substances
shall not be stored in food storage areas, and shall not be used in a manner
which may contaminate food. Pesticides shall not be stored, handled, or used in
a manner inconsistent with label directions, or in a negligent manner.
Note: Pesticide storage and use must comply with
ss.
94.67 to
94.71,
Stats., and ch. ATCP 29. Pesticides must be registered for use by the U. S.
environmental protection agency or by the department.
(13) CLEANING.
(a) A food warehouse shall be neat and
orderly, and shall be kept clean at all times. Storage facilities, equipment,
and stored food shall be arranged so that all parts of the food warehouse can
be effectively cleaned and inspected.
(b) A food warehouse operator shall keep the
warehouse in a clean and sanitary condition. Cleaning operations shall not
contaminate food or food packages. Detergents, sanitizers, and other cleaning
materials shall be safe and effective for their intended uses.
(c) Equipment and utensils used to handle or
store food in a food warehouse shall be kept clean, and shall be sanitized if
necessary to prevent the contamination of food.
