8. Windows and Skylights

Windows (and skylights) can be a potential source of contamination of product by dirt, water, debris, or broken glass. Consider the following when selecting and installing windows:

  • All outside windows, except for those in receiving and feed rooms, should have protection to exclude in sects, bird s, and other vermin.
  • Window ledges should be sloped about 45 degrees to prevent the accumulation of dirt, water, or debris.
  • To avoid damage to window glass from impact of hand trucks and similar equipment, the sills should be at least 3 feet above the floor.
  • Windows that are installed in walls in exposed product rooms should have panes of acrylic or polycarbonate plastic or other shatter-p roof material.

9. Doorways and Doors (General)

Doors are barriers that allow the movement of product and people, but also present a barrier to contamination such as dirt, insects, and other vermin as w ell as the microbiological hazard s that they carry. The door type, construction material, and room in which the door is located are all important considerations when doors are installed in the establishment. Doors are important in maintaining sanitary conditions especially in production and storage areas. In production and storage consider the following guidelines for doors:
The most effective doors have the following characteristics:

  • They are impervious to moisture.
  • They are tight fitting to minimize air exchange and to prevent the entry of insects and vermin in to the establishments.
  • They are self-closing and used throughout the establishment, especially in areas where toilet rooms open directly in to rooms where meat and poultry are exposed , to prevent contamination of products with odors and their associated con tam in ants.
  • They are high and wide enough to allow the movement of exposed product through the doorways without it coming in to contact with the door or jamb.
  • They are rigid and durable, and the junctions at jambs, walls, and floors are sealed to eliminate all cracks and crevices for debris, insects, and dirt to collect.
  • Doors that open directly to the outside of the building from production rooms should have an intervening closed space, such as a vestibule or enclosed lock, to prevent the direct access of contaminants and microbial organ isms to areas inside the establishment.

10. Types of Doors

In selecting a type of door for your establishment you need to consider the location of the door and whether or not product will be traveling through it. The following guidelines for different types of doors may be useful to you when selecting a door:

  • The horizontal double-swinging, impact door is a bi-parting, in flexible panel door with plastic windows (vision panels) that swings only in the horizontal plane. If you select this door, consider the following:
  • This door may be useful in rooms with dimensions that would not permit the use of a roll-up, vertical sliding or horizontal sliding door.
  • Because this door must be manually opened, the door can be damaged creating sanitation and maintenance problems.
  • The horizontal sliding door (manual and automatic) is a single or bi-parting, in flexible door that moves only in the horizontal plane. If you select this door, consider the following:
  • This door may be useful in rooms with dimensions that would not permit the use of a roll-up or vertical sliding door.
  • The automatic opening option is recommended not only for sanitation reasons, but it also prevents damage.
  • The vertical sliding door (manual or automatic) is a single, in flexible panel door that moves only in the vertical plane. If you select this door, consider the following:
  • This door may be useful in rooms with dimensions that would not permit the use of a roll-up or horizontal sliding door.
  • The automatic opening option is recommended not only for sanitation reasons, but it also prevents damage.
  • The overhead garage-type door (manual or automatic) is a hinged, multi-paneled door that moves from the vertical to the horizontal plane. If you select this door, consider the following:
  • This door may be an excellent choice for sheds or buildings used to store equipment, such as a lawn mower, that is used for the outside maintenance of the establishment’s property.
  • It is recommended that these types of doors not be used in exposed product areas or areas subject to wet clean -up because these doors have spaces between the panels that allow the collection of product, such as meat and fat, as w ell as contaminants.
  • The roll-up door (manual or automatic) is a single flexible panel door that moves only in the vertical plane and when open , coils tightly on to a drum assembly. If you select this door, consider the following:
  • This door can be an excellent alternative especially where space for opening a door is limited.
  • Several additional features should be installed on this type of door to make it an effective barrier against contamination.
  • The air curtain or air door is a door that uses a layer of air generated by mechanical fans to separate tw4o rooms or areas. If you select this door, consider the following:
  • This door needs to be carefully selected, installed, and maintained to be effective.
  • If an air imbalance (pressure imbalance) develops at the door opening, the separation effect may be diminished or eliminated. Air imbalance can occur from air flow changes from any other openings in the rooms especially other doors.
  • The movement of the air can stir up contaminants, such as dirt and dust, if the area around the door is not kept clean.
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