National Biosecurity Standard for Livestock, Poultry and Deadstock Transportation
Annex 4b: Example of a truck and crate cleaning and disinfection standard operating procedure in a poultry slaughter establishment

Truck and crate cleaning and disinfection protocol in the live end of a poultry slaughter establishment

Purpose

To minimize the risk of cross-contamination when reloading live birds on the truck.

Responsibility

The employees at the live end of the slaughter establishment are assigned truck washing duties and are responsible to the live receiving leadhand. A truck wash bay checklist is completed to document the completion of duties and inspection for adequacy of cleaning. The live receiving leadhand checks the truck before releasing and initials the form confirming his review. The offal monitor is assigned to clean and wash crates and modules.

Method

After the truck is unloaded, it is taken to the wash bay. The truck is then rinsed with low pressure and 37.8–71.1° Celsius (100–160°F) potable water. The trailer is washed with detergent and rinsed with potable water until it is visibly clean. The underside and tires are included. The same protocol is repeated on the other side.

All surfaces of the trailer and power unit are disinfected including the undersides and tires. The sanitation supervisor checks the disinfectant concentration and contact time on a daily basis and records the level on the "Chemical Concentration and Temperature Checklist". During winter months, upon completion of cleaning and disinfection, and inspection, close the curtains of the trailer to prevent snow and ice buildup inside the trailer.
The waste from crates and modules are dumped into inedible waste container. The crates and modules are rinsed with hot water, foamed with disinfectant mixture and rinsed with hot potable water prior to re-use.

Frequency

• Every truck of live birds after they are unloaded.
• After each use of crates and modules.

Critical limit

Transport vehicles and crates and modules must be visibly clean. Transport vehicles must have all surfaces disinfected.

Deviation procedure

If trucks cleaning and disinfection is not adequate as per the leadhand, the procedure has to be repeated until they are visibly clean.

The sanitation supervisor adjusts the concentration of disinfectant chemical when it is less than 500 ppm or over 1000 ppm and records any adjustments made.

Verification

The truck wash bay checklist is reviewed by the Quality Assurance department, weekly. If there are any outstanding issues, the quality assurance manager is contacted to review procedures and have issues resolved.

Related records

• Truck wash bay check list
• Inedible premises check

Live Poultry Receiving Department: Truck wash bay checklist–Daily

Verifier's name
Date:

Monitor's name:
Date:
Record all findings and deviation procedures in the checklist (see Table 4).

Note: Pressure must be between 600–1000 PSI with water temperature of 37.8–71.1° Celsius (100–160° Fahrenheit).

Critical limits: Disinfectant MUST be applied at manufacture's recommended concentration and contact time.

Trailers must be visibly clean; NO feathers, NO fecal matter.

Trailers must be in good repair and have no broken parts, damaged floors or doors that won't close etc.

Deviation procedure:

• If disinfectant is not applied, notify the supervisor for corrective action.
• If the trailer is not clean, then rewash.

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