Royal Decree 306/2020 which was published in the Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE) on February 13, 2020, establishes specific measures for biosecurity in swine farms. We would like to highlight Article 5 of Chapter II of this Royal Decree, which defines the minimum mandatory operating conditions to be implemented on biosecurity, infrastructure, equipment and management.
Section 2.e. of article 5 indicates that pig farms must have changing rooms before entering the production area, with visible signs with clear instructions on hygiene and biosecurity protocols. These changing rooms must at least be equipped with a washbasin, toilet and shower system, in order to comply with the requirements of section 2.f of article 5 of Royal Decree 306/2020.
We also want to take advantage of and emphasize section 2.d. of article 5 where it is obligatory to have disinfection arches for vehicles entering the farm in order to prevent the entry and spread of pathogens and diseases.
To help our customers comply with these new regulations, Porinox has developed disinfection arches and semi-arches, as well as three models of sanitary changing rooms.
In this blog article we want to emphasize the importance of adopting good practices of use. Working habits that safeguard the health of animals and prevent the entry and transmission of diseases in pig farms. All the prevention that we can do with equipment and infrastructures are useless if there is not a correct and constant use by the livestock company and its personnel . For this reason, we would like to point out some considerations and indications that may be useful:
- Sanitary locker rooms should have the minimum furniture, just enough to facilitate the removal and storage of outer clothing and footwear. Porpanel benches and stainless steel coat racks provide a minimalist, functional and clean solution.
- The models of 3×2 and 4×2 meters, may generate the temptation to use this room as or something more than a sanitary dressing room. But it should definitely not be shared with other functions, such as storage, workshop or office, as it would be a potential source of infection.
- The shower tray is the space that delimits and separates the dirty area from the clean area. It is the border that should not be crossed by anything coming from the outside without being properly disinfected.
- Equipped with an electric hot water accumulator to ensure thermal comfort and to facilitate the washing of the users.
- The availability of the right clothing and footwear by the company, as well as its renewal from time to time, is essential.
- The addition of the Porinox boot cleanerwill greatly facilitate the washing of work boots and ensure their total disinfection.
- Installing a boot rack prevents contact with the dirty floor after cleaning and helps to keep the boots aerated.
- We emphasize the importance of being strict with check-in and check-out records.
In the clean area there is a folding table where all workers and personnel authorized to access the farm must register. This will allow control and traceability in case of any possible sanitary problem. In this way it will comply with the plan of animal health visits, as established by Regulation (EU) 2016/429, of the European Parliament and of the Council, of March 9, 2016.
To newly built farms, i
mplementing these regulations is usually not a problem. But for smaller or older farms that may claim lack of space, prefabricated modules can be a practical and economical solution. Prefabricated modular locker rooms are essential allies because they are so easy to install. All that is required is a solid floor, a gray water connection and the connection of the water and electricity inlet.
According to section 2.a. of article 5 of Royal Decree 306/2020, there must be a perimeter fence or isolation that isolates the farm. This indicates that the sanitary dressing room must be strategically located as the only pedestrian access to the interior of the farm. This same section contemplates the location of containers for the collection of carcasses outside the fence, as long as it is guaranteed that the deposited remains can only be handled by the farm personnel and the personnel responsible for the collection.
The advantages of the new dressing modules of 3×2 y 4×2 meters is that they offer a larger space than their smaller brother of 2×2.
With a very well studied space distribution, the large dressing rooms of Porinox offer much more comfort for the change and storage of clothes and shoes. They also offer the possibility of being used by more than one worker at a time. However, in Porinox we give the possibility of small redistributions and customizations that should be consulted with our technical department.
Investing in biosecurity equipment is not just about regulatory compliance. It represents a crucial step in meeting future challenges in swine facilities with resilience and efficiency. And it can mean incalculable savings on potentially very serious problems for the entire swine production sector.
