TSE Requirements
Premises will need to be able to fulfil the following criteria and this will be assessed by Animal Health during approval visits and routine audit visits
Facilities
- Facilities and resources in place to handle the throughput of carcases
- A weatherproof sampling area with nearby washing facilities
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- It is the operator’s responsibility to ensure compliance with Health and Safety requirements. Further advice on these requirements and PPE is available at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/web22.pdf
Sampling
- Knives or other equipment to cut the head.
- A clean area for completion of paperwork.
- Storage for consumables.
- Clinical waste bin in the sampling area.
- Refrigerator with an ice box.
Documentation
- Standard Operating Procedure
To include local arrangements for a minimum of the following:
- Identification of carcases that need to be tested
- Preparation and organisation of paperwork
- Sampling process
- Sample identification
- Storage of samples
- Packaging and despatch of samples to VLA.
- Arrangements for retaining ear tags and ear samples
Arrangements for retaining ear tags and ear samples
- It is necessary to retain a “V” shaped notch of ear surrounding the ear tag from each carcase tested. This should be placed in a plastic bag and retained for 7 days following the dispatch of the matching brain sample to the test laboratory.