Section 1240 — [AGR]—MEAT AND POULTRY PROCESSING PLANTS

2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-07-29 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

1240.1 General construction. ¶

The buildings shall be of sound construction and kept in good repair.

1240.1.1 The doors, windows, skylights and other outside openings of the plant, shall be protected by fitted screens or other devices, such as air screens, against the entrance of flies and other insects.

1240.1.2 Outside doors shall be hung so as to be close fitting when closed.

1240.1.3 Rooms or compartments used for edible products shall be separated and distinct from inedible products departments and from rooms where live poultry are held or slaughtered. Separate rooms shall be provided when required for conducting processing operations in a sanitary manner; and all rooms shall be able to accommodate equipment for processing operations.

Note: In the event of specific conflict, in federally inspected plants, between the provisions of Title 24 and federal regulations, the federal regulations shall take precedence.

1240.1.4 The rooms and compartments in which any product is prepared or handled shall be free from objectionable odors.

1240.1.5 The outer premises of every official establishment, including docks and areas where cars and vehicles are loaded, and the driveways, approaches, yards, pens and alleys shall be paved.

1240.2 Refuse rooms. ¶

A separate refuse room shall be required in official establishments where accumulations of refuse occur. Refuse rooms shall be entirely separate from other rooms in the establishment, and shall provide for the following: 1. Tight fitting doors.

2. Ventilation.

3. Drainage. 4. Cleanup facilities. 5. Floors and walls to a height of 6 feet (1829 mm) above the floor shall be impervious to moisture. 6. Wall above 6 feet (1829 mm), and ceilings shall be moisture resistant.

1240.3 Rooms for holding carcasses for further inspection. ¶

Room or other acceptable facilities in which carcasses or parts thereof are held for further inspection shall be in such numbers and such locations as needs of the inspection in the establishment may require. These rooms or facilities shall be equipped with hasps for locking.

1240.4 Coolers and freezers. ¶

Coolers and freezers shall be of adequate size and capacity and have cooling capability to fully enable compliance with the regulations governing the inspection of meat and poultry and meat and poultry products.

1240.5 Boiler room. ¶

The boiler room shall be a separate room where necessary to prevent dirt and objectionable odors entering from it into any room where dressed poultry or poultry products are prepared, handled or stored.

1240.6 Inspector’s office. ¶

Office space for the use of government personnel shall be provided. The room or space must meet the approval of the inspection service and provide for the following: 1. Light

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INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT

2. Heat

3. Ventilation

4. Desk space

5. File cabinets

1240.7 Facilities for program employees. ¶

Establishments shall have facilities for program employees.

1240.8 Lunch rooms. ¶

Lunch rooms or lunch areas separate from the processing, packing or supply rooms shall be provided in establish- ments where employees eat their lunches.

1240.9 Floors. ¶

All floors in rooms where exposed products are prepared or handled shall be constructed of, or finished with, materials impervious to moisture. The floors in killing, ice cooling, ice packing, eviscerating, cooking, boning and cannery rooms shall be graded for complete runoff with no standing water.

1240.10 Walls, posts, partitions and doors. ¶

All walls, posts, partitions and doors in rooms where exposed products are prepared or handled shall be smooth and constructed of materials impervious to moisture to a height of at least 8 feet (2438 mm) above the floor. All surfaces above this height must be smooth and finished with moisture-resistant material.

1240.11 Ceilings. ¶

Ceilings must be moisture resistant in rooms where exposed products are prepared or handled, finished and sealed.

1240.12 Rails. ¶

Rails should be located and passageway space provided so that exposed product does not come in contact with posts, walls and other fixed parts of the building or with barrels, boxes or other containers trafficked through holding and operation areas.

1240.13 Lighting. ¶

There shall be either natural or artificial light or both for all rooms and compartments.

1240.13.1 All rooms in which poultry or livestock are killed, eviscerated or otherwise processed shall have at least 30 foot-candles (323 lux) of light intensity on all working surfaces.

Exceptions: 1. At the inspection stations such light intensity shall be at least 50 footcandles (538 lux). 2. In all other rooms in which poultry or livestock are not killed, eviscerated or otherwise processed, there shall be provided at least 5 footcandles (54 lux) of light intensity when measured at a distance of 30 inches (762 mm) from the floor.

1240.14 Ventilation. ¶

There shall be either natural or artificial ventilation, adequate to control odors, vapors and condensation to the extent necessary to prevent adulteration of product and the creation of insanitary conditions, in all rooms and compartments.

1240.14.1 Freezing rooms, other than those for plate freezers or liquid freezing, shall have forced-air circulation, and freezers and coolers shall be equipped with floor racks or pallets unless other means are used which will assure that products will be maintained in a wholesome condition.

1240.14.2 Toilet rooms shall be ventilated to the outside of the building.

1240.15 Lavatories, toilets and other sanitary facilities. ¶

1240.15.1 Lavatory and toilet accommodations, including but not limited to, running hot and cold water, shall be provided as follows in Table 1240.15.1.

TABLE 1240.15.1

*PERSONS OF SAME SEX*	*TOILET BOWLS REQUIRED*
1 to 15, inclusive	1
1 to 15, inclusive	2
1 to 15, inclusive	3*
1 to 15, inclusive	4*
For each additional 30 persons in excess of 80	1*
* Urinals may be substituted for toilet bowls, but only to the extent of one-third of the total number of bowls stated.

1240.15.2 Lavatories shall be in or adjacent to toilet and locker rooms and at other places in the plant to provide for the cleanliness of all personnel handling products.

1240.15.3 Toilet rooms opening directly into rooms where products are exposed shall have self-closing doors.

1240.15.4 Dressing rooms and toilet rooms shall be provided in each establishment and shall be ample in size and readily accessible. They shall be separated from the rooms and compartments in which products are prepared, stored or handled. Where both sexes are employed, separate facilities shall be provided.

1240.15.5 Lockers or other facilities shall be provided for employees’ wearing apparel and for the storing and changing of clothing. Lockers shall not be located in rooms where processing operations are conducted.

1240.15.6 Handwashing facilities serving areas where dressed livestock and poultry carcasses and parts and meat and poultry prod- ucts are prepared shall be operated by other than hand-operated controls, or shall be continuous flow type that provides flow of water for washing hands.

1240.15.7 Catch basins. All catch basins on the premises shall accommodate the provisions of Section 1243.5.

on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.

INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT

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2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)