BLOCK 1-Start BLOCK 1. Start daily basis in individual establishments, but at a relatively large public PREAMBLE ost because it encouraged establishments to shift accountability for Plant Responsibilities inspectors have taken responsibility for slaughter establishment before it begins daily processing. In extreme The proposed requirements for Sanitation SOPs were the result of cases, inspectors have led daily bucket brigades"of slaughter many years of observations by FSIS of establishment sanitation and leanup. In these circumstances, FSIs has, in effect, taken me meat and poultry establishments was documented in the"1,000 sponsibility for establishment sanitation conditions Plant Review, "conducted by FSIS between September 1993 and Although ority of meat and poultry adequate sanitary conditions, some establishments have deficiencies noted. More than 60 percent of all deficiencies documented sanitation problems that can be resolved only through more clearl by the review involved establishment sanitation. The distribution of ning establishment wever. uniform in ibility and accountability for the daily percent of the sanitation deficiencies. Data collected through FSIS's clear that responsibility for identifying and conducting procedures needed to maintain sanitary conditions rests with the establishment, not Based Inspection System similarty documents that on is the most frequent deficiency noted by inspection personnel Finally, the Sanitation SOPs requirements of this final rule are set out Through analysis of this information, Fsis determined that the hese provisions are formatted differe Ifference between establishments with consistently sanitary conditions and those with chronic sanitation deficiencies is often that the better organize, and recodify the meat and poultry regulations. This performing establishments have effective qua lity control and sanitation regulatory reform project is well underway, and will, among other things programs, including written Sanitation SOP's, while the marginal eliminate unneeded regulations by combining, to the extent possible, the currently separate meat and poultry regulation ors Substantial evidence exists that insanitary facilities or equipment, poor improper personal hygiene, and similar insanitary contaminated with microorganisms, including pathogens. While commenters expressed concem that during inspection inspectors would some indiidual establishments still have difficulty getting their facilities soiety on record reviews instead of actually observing establishment and equipment ready to start operations each day and keeping conditions. Other commenters expressed concerns that Sanitation SOPs would merely provide FSIS s with more latitude to make nditions sanitary during establishment operations. FSIS affirms that intrusive and arbitrary decisions. FSIS strongly disagrees with this and a fundamental requirement of the inspection laws that the Agency inspection personnel, Industrys responsibility for producing safe meat and poultry and FSis responsibility for regulatory oversight are st, FSIS has enforced the sanitation requirements primar through a combination of prescriptive sanitation regulations, detailed Santation SOPs are the establishment s commitment to fsis that the guidance materials, and direct, hands-on involvement by inspectors in nsistently provide a sanitary FSIS inspectors will not be tasked with directing an establishment's day-to-day pre-operational and operational sanitation procedures in sanitation procedures, inspected establishments. This system achieved sanitation goals on a Sanitation SOPs. They will, however, verify that the Sanitation SOP's