Cal. Code Regs. tit. 3 § 648

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section 648 - Milk Room

(a) General Provisions.

The milk room shall be located under the same roof (extended) as the milking barn.

The milk room shall consist of one or more rooms for the care of the milk and the cleaning, sterilizing, and storage of milk handling equipment. Hot and cold running water outlets shall be installed in each room. If the door into the milk room is provided on any side other than the barn side, the area leading from the barn to the door shall be roofed and a curbed, drained, concrete walkway provided.

The minimum distance between a farm tank and the wash trays shall be 5 feet. The minimum distance between any farm tank or farm tank appurtenance and the other milk room walls or ceiling shall be 2 feet. The distance from tank to wall may be reduced to 6 inches when the farm tank is bulkheaded no more than 36 inches into the milk room.

A one-room milk room shall meet the following requisites:

(1) a farm tank for the storage of milk;

(2) a pipeline for conveying milk from the cows or goats to the farm tank.

(b) Passageway.

When the milk room and the milking barn are under the same roof, a passageway to permit entry to the milking barn is permissible. The passageway shall provide not less than a 3-foot clearance for ingress and egress and have ceiling or roof ventilation.

Equipment such as milk receivers, filters, or coolers which are part of an enclosed milk line system may be installed in the passageway under the following conditions:

(1) a 3-foot clearance is allowed for walkway;

(2) sufficient space is provided between walls and equipment to permit disassembly for cleaning or inspection of equipment, walls, floor;

(3) Passageway walls shall be finished in a manner similar to the milk room. The passageway may be structurally closed at one end. The barn may be separated from the passageway by a pipe rail fence. If the slope of the barn floor is toward the passageway, a concrete wall of at least 12 inches in height shall be provided. Rustless pipesleeves with tight fitting flanges and protective closures shall be installed where the milk lines, hoses for tankers, and wash lines go through the walls or stationary doors. Delivery of milk from the passageway or barn into the milk room shall be by sanitary milk lines.

(c) Floors.

The floors of the milk room, and passageway if provided, shall be constructed of concrete at least 4 inches thick, or other suitable material approved by the Secretary, troweled smooth with a true slope. The milk room floor shall slope at least " inch per foot to a vented trapped drain. The passageway floor shall slope at least 1 inch in 10 feet toward a drain or gutter. A 2-inch minimum radius cove is required at all floor and wall junctions. The cove shall be an integral part of the floor. A sand or rock cushion of at least 6 inches shall be placed under concrete floors on soils other than sandy loams. All concrete floor slabs shall be reinforced with a minimum #6 x #6/10 x 10 steel mesh or other reinforcement material of equal or greater strength.

(d) Walls and Ceilings.

(1) All walls and partitions shall be of concrete or masonry to a height of not less than 8 inches above the floor. The milk and washroom walls, partitions, and ceilings shall be finished smooth with waterproof cement plaster or masonry (tile). Portland cement type sheeting, fiberglass sheathing or metal sheathing that has been made corrosion and rust resistant may be used for the inside finish of the walls (above 8 inches) and ceiling provided such sheeting is smooth and installed with firm backing and sealed joints. Where masonry or concrete block construction is used, all voids below the floor line shall be filled with concrete.

(2) Main ceiling height shall be at least 9 feet above the floor but in no case less than the height of the farm tank plus 2 feet. Ceiling may follow rafters to the plate which shall be not less than 7 feet 3 inches above the floor. If a cupola or light well is provided as an extension of the ceiling, there shall be at least 2 feet clearance surrounding the farm tank or any equipment extending into the area.

(e) Doors and Windows.

(1) Each room of the milk house shall have at least one glass window or other light-transmitting material. The total window area in each room shall be equivalent to at least ¹/₁₀ of the floor area. Window screens shall be standard 16-mesh and are required on all windows that open. Only stationary type windows may be installed on the barn side of the milk house.

(2) Exterior doors of the milk room shall open outward, be solid, self-closing, and tight fitting. Where the milk and washroom are separate, a swinging door or a door hinged to open into the washroom shall be installed between the milk room and the washroom. These doors shall be self-closing. Any door from a passageway shall be a solid type door, covered on both sides of the bottom half with a waterproof sheathing, and located as to lead into the wash-up area. Wooden door jambs or frames shall terminate 6 inches above the floor, and the concrete floor cove shall be extended to the jambs or frames.

(3) Artificial light shall be installed in each room to provide at least 30-foot candles of light at floor level. Light fixtures shall not be located over a bulk tank opening or wash trays.

(f) Ventilation.

Wall ventilators shall be installed horizontally not more than 10 inches or less than 4 inches above the floor in a one-room milk room and one in each room if more than one room is provided. The wall ventilators shall provide openings equivalent to 2 percent of the floor area. Metal framed vents with insect screening and closeable louvers shall be installed in wall-vent openings. Wall ventilators shall not be installed on the milking barn side of the milk room. Ceiling vents are required in the milk room. In the absence of forced draft ventilation, the ceiling vents shall be shafted to a stack type, rotary or directional vent which shall be at least 12 inches in diameter and of a height to properly ventilate the room and shall exclude dust, rain, birds, insects, and trash. Ceiling vents shall provide high ventilation equivalent to an opening of 2 percent or more of the floor area. Ceiling vent opening shall not be located above a bulk tank opening or wash trays. Oil or gas water heaters shall be vented to the outside and above the roof edge.

(g) Drainage.

Drainage from the milk house may be connected with the barn drainage or it may be independent. When a common drain system is used for the milk house and barn, the design of the system shall preclude back flow into the milk house under all conditions. Floor drains shall be vented, have a water trap, and a clean-out plug. All floor drains and pipes under milk house and barn floors shall have leak-proof connections and meet all applicable plumbing codes.

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 3, § 648

1. Amendment filed 9-10-71; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 71, No. 37). Approved by State Building Standards Commission 8-18-71. For prior history, see Register 62, No. 4.
2. Amendment of section and new NOTE filed 11-9-95; operative 12-9-95 (Register 95, No. 45).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 407 and 33481, Food and Agricultural Code. Reference: Sections 33481, 33482, 33483, 33484 and 33486, Food and Agricultural Code.

1. Amendment filed 9-10-71; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 71, No. 37). Approved by State Building Standards Commission 8-18-71. For prior history, see Register 62, No. 4.
2. Amendment of section and new Note filed 11-9-95; operative 12-9-95 (Register 95, No. 45).