15A NCAC 18A .0149      PLUMBING

(a)  Plumbing fixtures shall be located to facilitate the flow of processing activities and to prevent the splashing of water on food‑contact surfaces or cooked crustacea and crustacea meat.

(b)  Fixtures, ducts, and pipes shall not be suspended over working areas.

(c)  Handwash lavatories shall be located so that the supervisor can observe that employees wash and sanitize their hands before beginning work and after each interruption.

(d)  Handwash lavatories shall be provided in the following locations:

(1)           packing room or area;

(2)           toilet or lounge area; and

(3)           picking room.

(e)  At least one handwash lavatory shall be provided for every 20 employees among the first 100 employees and at least one handwash lavatory shall be provided for every 25 employees in excess of the first 100 employees.

(f)  Additional lavatories required by Paragraph (e) of this Rule shall be located in the picking room.

(g)  A container shall be located near each handwash lavatory in the picking room and packing room or area to sanitize hands in a solution containing at least 100 parts per million (ppm) of available chlorine or other equally effective bactericide. A testing method or equipment shall be available and used to test chemical sanitizers to ensure minimum prescribed strengths.

(h)  Soap and single service towels in protected dispensers shall be available near the handwash lavatories. Other hand drying devices that are found equally effective by the Division of Marine Fisheries may be used.

(i)  All pre‑cool rooms, picking rooms, packing rooms or areas, and cooking areas shall be provided with hose bibs and wash down hoses. Storage racks shall be provided to keep the hoses elevated off the floor when not in use.

(j)  An automatically regulated hot‑water system shall be provided to furnish a sufficient volume of hot water with a temperature of at least 130° F (54.5° C) to carry out all processing operations.

(k)  All handwash lavatories and sinks shall be equipped with mixing faucets.

(l)  A three‑compartment sink with drainboards, large enough to wash the largest utensils used in the facility, shall be located in the picking room near the delivery shelf. One three‑compartment sink, with drainboards, shall be provided for every 50 employees or fraction thereof.

(m)  The floor drains in coolers shall not be connected directly to a sewer in processing or repacking facilities constructed after October 1, 1992.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 113-134; 113-182; 113-221.2; 143B-289.52;

Eff. October 1, 1992;

Readopted Eff. April 1, 2022.