Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act No. 54 of 1972RegulationsRegulations relating to Hygiene Requirements for Milking Sheds, the Transport of Milk and Related MattersStandards and Requirements10. Personnel hygiene - Milkers and Handlers of Milk |
| (1) | In addition to subregulation 6(4), personnel hygiene facilities shall be made available to ensure that an appropriate degree of personal hygiene can be maintained and to avoid contaminating milk, where appropriate facilities shall include— |
| (a) | adequate means of hygienically washing and drying hands, including hand wash basins and a supply of hot and/or cold water and soap and disinfectant; |
| (b) | toilets of appropriate hygienic design; and |
| (c) | adequate changing facilities for personnel. |
| (2) | Such facilities shall be suitably located and designed. |
| (3) | The hands and fingernails of every milker or handler of milk shall be washed thoroughly with soap and water, and there shall be no accumulation of grime under the nails when milk is handled. |
| (4) | Each person handling milk, shall daily before commencement of activities or work put on clean and undamaged over-clothes and gumboots and wear them continuously while he is handling milk in the interests of milk safety and suitability to use. |
| (5) | Milk, shall not be handled by any person— |
| (a) | who has on his or her body a suppurating abscess or a sore or a cut or abrasion, unless such abscess, sore, cut or abrasion is covered with a moisture proof dressing which is firmly secured to prevent contamination of the milk; |
| (b) | who is or who is suspected of suffering from or being a carrier of a disease or condition in its contagious stage that can be transmitted by food or animals, unless any such person immediately reports the disease or condition to the person in charge and a certificate by a medical practitioner stating that such person is fit to handle food is submitted; |
| (c) | whose hands or clothing are not clean. |
| (6) | All employees shall be subjected to personal and food hygiene training relevant to the production and handling of milk and in the case of new employees prior to the commencement of handling milk. Records of such training must be made available to an Inspector on request. |
| (7) | The holder of a certificate of acceptability for a milking shed shall undergo training on food safety and hygiene aspects of the production & handling of milk by an accredited service provider. |