Standard 3.2.3

Food Premises and Equipment

(Australia only)

Purpose

This Standard sets out requirements for food premises and equipment that, if complied with, will facilitate compliance by food businesses with the food safety requirements of Standard 3.2.2 – Food Safety Practices and General Requirements.

The objective of this Standard is to ensure that, where possible, the layout of the premises minimises opportunities for food contamination.  Food businesses are required to ensure that their food premises, fixtures, fittings, equipment and transport vehicles are designed and constructed to be cleaned and, where necessary, sanitised.  Businesses must ensure that the premises are provided with the necessary services of water, waste disposal, light, ventilation, cleaning and personal hygiene facilities, storage space and access to toilets.

Contents

Division 1 – Interpretation and application

1 Interpretation

2 Application of this Standard

Division 2 – Design and construction of food premises

3 General requirements

4 Water supply

5 Sewage and waste water disposal

6 Storage of garbage and recyclable matter

7 Ventilation

8 Lighting

Division 3 – Floors, walls and ceilings

9 Application

10 Floors

11 Walls and ceilings

Division 4 – Fixtures, fittings and equipment

12 General requirements

13 Connections for specific fixtures, fittings and equipment

14 Hand washing facilities

Division 5 – Miscellaneous

15 Storage facilities

16 Toilet facilities

17 Food transport vehicles

Division 1 – Interpretation and application

1 Interpretation

In this Standard –

adequate supply of water means potable water that is available at a volume, pressure and temperature that is adequate for the purposes for which the water is used.

potable water means water that is acceptable for human consumption.

sanitise means to apply heat or chemicals, heat and chemicals, or other processes, to a surface so that the number of microorganisms on the surface is reduced to a level that –

(a) does not compromise the safety of food with which it may come into contact; and

(b) does not permit the transmission of infectious disease.

sewage includes the discharge from toilets, urinals, basins, showers, sinks and dishwashers, whether discharged through sewers or other means.

2 Application of this Standard

(1) This Standard applies to all food businesses in Australia in accordance with Standard 3.1.1 – Interpretation and Application.

(2) A food business may only use food premises and food transport vehicles that comply with this Standard.

(3) A food business may only use equipment, fixtures and fittings in or on food premises and in or on food transport vehicles that comply with this Standard.

Division 2 – Design and construction of food premises

3  General requirements

The design and construction of food premises must –

(a) be appropriate for the activities for which the premises are used;

(b) provide adequate space for the activities to be conducted on the food premises and for the fixtures, fittings and equipment used for those activities;

(c) permit the food premises to be effectively cleaned and, if necessary, sanitised; and

(d) to the extent that is practicable –

(i) exclude dirt, dust, fumes, smoke and other contaminants;

(ii) not permit the entry of pests; and

(iii) not provide harbourage for pests.

4 Water supply

(1) Food premises must have an adequate supply of water if water is to be used at the food premises for any of the activities conducted on the food premises.

(2) Subject to subclause (3), a food business must use potable water for all activities that use water that are conducted on the food premises.

(3) If a food business demonstrates that the use of non-potable water for a purpose will not adversely affect the safety of the food handled by the food business, the food business may use non-potable water for that purpose.

5 Sewage and waste water disposal

Food premises must have a sewage and waste water disposal system that –

(a) will effectively dispose of all sewage and waste water; and

(b) is constructed and located so that there is no likelihood of the sewage and waste water polluting the water supply or contaminating food.

6 Storage of garbage and recyclable matter

Food premises must have facilities for the storage of garbage and recyclable matter that –

(a) adequately contain the volume and type of garbage and recyclable matter on the food premises;

(b) enclose the garbage or recyclable matter, if this is necessary to keep pests and animals away from it; and

(c) are designed and constructed so that they may be easily and effectively cleaned.

7 Ventilation

Food premises must have sufficient natural or mechanical ventilation to effectively remove fumes, smoke, steam and vapours from the food premises.

8 Lighting

Food premises must have a lighting system that provides sufficient natural or artificial light for the activities conducted on the food premises.

Division 3 – Floors, walls and ceilings

9 Application

The requirements for floors, walls and ceilings specified in this Division apply to the floors, walls and ceilings of all areas used for food handling, cleaning, sanitising and personal hygiene except the following areas –

(a) dining areas;

(b) drinking areas; and

(c) other areas to which members of the public usually have access.

10 Floors

(1) Floors must be designed and constructed in a way that is appropriate for the activities conducted on the food premises.

(2) Subject to subclause (3), floors must –

(a) be able to be effectively cleaned;

(b) be unable to absorb grease, food particles or water;

(c) be laid so that there is no ponding of water; and

(d) to the extent that is practicable, be unable to provide harbourage for pests.

(3) The following floors do not have to comply with subclause (2) –

(a) floors of temporary food premises, including ground surfaces, that are unlikely to pose any risk of contamination of food handled at the food premises; and

(b) floors of food premises that are unlikely to pose any risk of contamination of food handled at the food premises provided the food business has obtained the approval in writing of the appropriate enforcement agency for their use.

11 Walls and ceilings

(1) Walls and ceilings must be designed and constructed in a way that is appropriate for the activities conducted on the food premises.

(2) Walls and ceilings must be provided where they are necessary to protect food from contamination.

(3) Walls and ceilings provided in accordance with subclause (2) must be –

(a) sealed to prevent the entry of dirt, dust and pests;

(b) unable to absorb grease, food particles or water; and

(c) able to be easily and effectively cleaned.

(4) Walls and ceilings must –

(a) be able to be effectively cleaned; and

(b) to the extent that is practicable, be unable to provide harbourage for pests.

Division 4 – Fixtures, fittings and equipment

12 General requirements

(1) Fixtures, fittings and equipment must be –

(a) adequate for the production of safe and suitable food; and

(b) fit for their intended use.

(2) Fixtures and fittings must be designed, constructed, located and installed, and equipment must be designed, constructed, located and, if necessary, installed, so that –

(a) there is no likelihood that they will cause food contamination;

(b) they are able to be easily and effectively cleaned; 

(c) adjacent floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces are able to be easily and effectively cleaned; and

(d) to the extent that is practicable, they do not provide harbourage for pests.

(3) The food contact surfaces of fixtures, fittings and equipment must be –

(a) able to be easily and effectively cleaned and, if necessary, sanitised if there is a likelihood that they will cause food contamination;

(b) unable to absorb grease, food particles and water if there is a likelihood that they will cause food contamination; and

(c) made of material that will not contaminate food.

(4) Eating and drinking utensils must be able to be easily and effectively cleaned and sanitised.

13 Connections for specific fixtures, fittings and equipment

(1) Fixtures, fittings and equipment that use water for food handling or other activities and are designed to be connected to a water supply must be connected to an adequate supply of water.

(2) Fixtures, fittings and equipment that are designed to be connected to a sewage and waste water disposal system and discharge sewage or waste water must be connected to a sewage and waste water disposal system.

(3) Automatic equipment that uses water to sanitise utensils or other equipment must only operate for the purpose of sanitation when the water is at a temperature that will sanitise the utensils or equipment.

14 Hand washing facilities

(1) Subject to subclause (4), food premises must have hand washing facilities that are located where they can be easily accessed by food handlers –

(a) within areas where food handlers work if their hands are likely to be a source of contamination of food; and

(b) if there are toilets on the food premises – immediately adjacent to the toilets or toilet cubicles.

(2) Subject to the following subclauses, hand washing facilities must be –

(a) permanent fixtures;

(b) connected to, or otherwise provided with, a supply of warm running potable water;

(c) of a size that allows easy and effective hand washing; and

(d) clearly designated for the sole purpose of washing hands, arms and face.

(3) Paragraph (2)(a) does not apply to temporary food premises.

(4) With the approval in writing of the appropriate enforcement agency, food premises that are specified in the approval do not have to comply with any requirement of this clause that is also specified in the approval.

(5) Only food premises that are used principally as a private dwelling or are temporary food premises may be specified in an approval for the purposes of subsection (4).

Division 5 – Miscellaneous

15 Storage facilities

(1)  Food premises must have adequate storage facilities for the storage of items that are likely to be the source of contamination of food, including chemicals, clothing and personal belongings.

(2) Storage facilities must be located where there is no likelihood of stored items contaminating food or food contact surfaces.

16 Toilet facilities

A food business must ensure that adequate toilets are available for the use of food handlers working for the food business.

17 Food transport vehicles

(1) Vehicles used to transport food must be designed and constructed to protect food if there is a likelihood of food being contaminated during transport.

(2) Parts of vehicles used to transport food must be designed and constructed so that they are able to be effectively cleaned.

(3) Food contact surfaces in parts of vehicles used to transport food must be designed and constructed to be effectively cleaned and, if necessary, sanitised.

Amendment History

The Amendment History provides information about each amendment to the Standard. The information includes commencement or cessation information for relevant amendments.

These amendments are made under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 unless otherwise indicated. Amendments do not have a specific date for cessation unless indicated as such.

About this compilation

This is compilation No. 5 of Standard 2.6.3 as in force on 3 June 2021 (up to Amendment No. 200). It includes any commenced amendment affecting the compilation to that date.

Prepared by Food Standards Australia New Zealand on 3 June 2021.

Uncommenced amendments or provisions ceasing to have effect

To assist stakeholders, the effect of any uncommenced amendments or provisions which will cease to have effect, may be reflected in the Standard as shaded boxed text with the relevant commencement or cessation date. These amendments will be reflected in a compilation registered on the Federal Register of Legislation including or omitting those amendments and provided in the Amendment History once the date is passed.

The following abbreviations may be used in the table below:

ad = added or inserted am = amended

exp = expired or ceased to have effect rep = repealed

rs = repealed and substituted

Standard 3.2.3 was published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No.S  464 on 24 August 2000 as part of GN 34 (2000GN34 –- 30 August 2000) and has since been amended as follows: