1. A. The person-in-charge shall ensure that the equipment and facilities needed to process crab meat in accordance with the requirements of this chapter are provided and maintained in a sanitary and working condition.

2. B. The person-in-charge shall ensure that:

   1. (1) The water supplied to a fixture is potable and meets the requirements of the Environment Article, Annotated Code of Maryland;
   2. (2) The sewage disposal system for the plant meets all applicable State and local codes and properly disposes of all wastewater;
   3. (3) Ice used in the manufacture of crab meat is produced from water that is potable and meets the requirements of the Environment Article, Annotated Code of Maryland;
   4. (4) The plant design and the flow of food through the plant minimize the potential for cross-contamination;
   5. (5) If uncooked crabs will be stored at the plant for more than 4 hours before cooking, a separate cooler is provided for uncooked crabs;
   6. (6) Partitions or linear distances are used to separate cooking areas, picking areas, and packing areas;
   7. (7) Floors in all processing areas and in refrigerated rooms are sloped to accessible floor drains that dispose of wastewater, in compliance with applicable plumbing codes;

   8. (8) Toilet rooms:

      1. (a) Are provided at the rate of one toilet for every 20 employees;
      2. (b) Do not open directly into a food processing or storage area; and

      3. (c) Are:

         1. (i) Separate for men and women; or
         2. (ii) Designed for use by not more than one person at a time.

   9. (9) A hand sink is:

      1. (a) Provided in the picking area at the rate of one hand sink for each 15 pickers;
      2. (b) Provided in the packing area;
      3. (c) Equipped with soap and paper towels for drying hands;
      4. (d) Accompanied by sanitizer in the picking and packing rooms for the sanitizing of hands; and
      5. (e) Equipped with hot and cold water under pressure;

   10. (10) A picking table is:

       1. (a) Adequate in size so that a picker does not contaminate crab meat during the picking of cooked crabs; and
       2. (b) Provided with sanitary paper towels in a dispenser within reach of a picker while at the table;

   11. (11) A three-compartment sink is:

       1. (a) Designed to allow immersion of utensils or equipment that will be cleaned and sanitized in the sink;
       2. (b) Provided in the plant for washing, rinsing, and sanitizing equipment and utensils; and
       3. (c) Equipped with hot and cold water under pressure; and

   12. (12) Waste containers are:

       1. (a) Provided inside the facility to be accessible to the workers;
       2. (b) Made to be easily cleanable;
       3. (c) Large enough to hold waste until the waste is taken off-site if the containers are outside waste containers; and
       4. (d) Vermin-proof, insect-proof, and placed on a hard and impermeable surface if the containers are outdoor waste containers, except in the case of chum containers that are removed daily.

3. C. The person-in-charge may use a two-compartment sink instead of the three-compartment sink required in §B(11)(b) of this regulation, if the two-compartment sink:

   1. (1) Was installed before the effective date of this chapter;
   2. (2) Complies with all regulations applicable before the effective date of this chapter;
   3. (3) Performs the intended function;
   4. (4) Is maintained in a sanitary condition; and
   5. (5) When replaced, is replaced with a hand sink or three-compartment sink in full compliance with this chapter.

Authority: Health-General Article, §§18-102, 21-211, 21-234, 21-304, 21-321, 21-339, 21-340, and 21-350, Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: March 15, 1955

Amended effective September 3, 1957

Regulations .01—.06 amended effective September 14, 1977 (4:19 Md. R. 1468)

Regulation .03C amended and .05-1 adopted effective September 30, 1994 (21:9 Md. R. 751)

Regulations .01—.06 repealed and new Regulations .01—.15 adopted effective August 5, 2002 (29:15 Md. R. 1142)

Regulation .01B amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .02 repealed effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .05B, C amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .07G amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .08C—E amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .09 amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .10 amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .11B amended effective February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272)

Regulation .11H, J amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .12 amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .13B, D amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .14 amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .15B, C amended effective February 12, 2018 (45:3 Md. R. 157)

Regulation .15C amended effective February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272)

Regulation .15E repealed effective February 15, 2016 (43:3 Md. R. 272)