§ 59.105. Milkhouse or room—construction and facilities.

 The milkhouse or room shall meet the following construction requirements:

   (1)  A separate milkhouse of sufficient size and conveniently located shall be provided for the cooling, handling, and storing of milk containers and utensils except as provided for in §  59.112 (relating to utensils and equipment—storage).

   (2)  The floors of all milkhouses shall be constructed of good quality concrete—float finish permissible; equally impervious tile; brick laid closely with impervious material; or metal surfacing with impervious joints or of other material the equivalent of concrete, and maintained free of breaks, depressions, and surface peelings.

   (3)  The floor shall slope to drain so that there are no pools of standing water. The joints between the floor and the walls shall be watertight.

   (4)  The liquid wastes shall be disposed of in a sanitary manner; all floor drains shall be accessible and shall be trapped if connected to a sanitary sewer.

   (5)  Walls and ceilings shall be constructed of smooth dressed lumber or similar material, well painted with a light-colored washable paint, and shall be in good repair. Surfaces and joints shall be tight and smooth. Sheet metal, tile, cement block, brick, concrete, cement plaster, or similar materials of light color may be used; the surfaces and joints shall be smooth. Impervious materials shall be used to a height of at least 18 inches above the floor.

   (6)  A minimum of 20 foot-candles of light shall be provided at all working areas from natural or artificial light, or both, for milkhouse operations.

   (7)  Windows and solid doors shall be closed during dusty weather.

   (8)  The milkhouse shall be adequately ventilated to minimize odors and condensation on floors, walls, ceilings, and clean utensils.

   (9)  Vents, if installed, and lighting fixtures shall be installed in a manner to preclude the contamination of bulk milk tanks or clean utensil storage areas.

   (10)  The milkhouse shall be used for no other purpose than milkhouse operations.

   (11)  There shall be no direct opening into any barn, stable, or room used for domestic purposes; except that an opening between the milkhouse and milking barn, stable, or parlor is permitted when a tight-fitting self-closing solid door hinged to be single- or double-acting is provided.

   (12)  A vestibule, if used, shall comply with the applicable milkhouse construction requirements.

   (13)  The transfer of milk from a bulk-holding/cooling tank to a transport tank shall be through a hose port located in the milkhouse wall. The port shall be fitted with a tight door, which shall be in good repair. It shall be kept closed except when the port is in use. An easily cleanable surface shall be constructed under the hose port, adjacent to the outside wall, sufficiently large to protect the milk hose from contamination.

   (14)  Water under pressure shall be piped into the milkhouse.

   (15)  Each milkhouse shall be provided with facilities for heating water in sufficient quantity and to such temperatures for the effective cleaning of all equipment and utensils.

   (16)  The milkhouse shall be equipped with a wash-and-rinse vat having at least two compartments. Each compartment shall be of sufficient size to accommodate the largest utensil or container used. The cleaning-in-place vat for milk pipelines and milk machines may be accepted as one part of the two-compartment vat; provided that the cleaning-in-place station rack in or on the vat and the milking machine inflations and appurtenances are completely removed from the vat during the washing, rinsing, and sanitizing of other utensils and equipment.

   (17)  A suitable shelter shall be provided for a transportation truck used for cooling and storing milk. Such shelter shall be adjacent to, but not a part of, the milkroom and shall comply with the requirements of the milkroom with respect to construction, light, drainage, insect and rodent control, and general maintenance.

   This section cited in 7 Pa. Code §  59.31 (relating to inspection of dairy farms); and 7 Pa. Code §  59.302 (relating to raw milk).