Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and HACCP Toolbox for Food Safety

GHP - Section 3 - Establishment – design of facilities and equipment
14/04/2023

This guidance document provides detailed information on how to design and construct an establishment to produce food safely and to control potential hazards.

Food handling premises provide the first point of protection against hazards as the place where food is separated from the external environment where it was grown or raised. The premises, equipment and other facilities should be located, designed and constructed to permit maintenance, cleaning and disinfection. The environment should be controlled for temperature and humidity, and there should be a system to prevent pests from entering the premises. Surfaces and materials, particularly those in contact with food, should be intended for use for the processing/handling of foods. Facilities, including washrooms, should be adequately designed for waste management and cleaning and support the hygienic production of food.

Consult the guidance document on the design of facilities and equipment for guidance on how to:

  • identify potential hazards associated with the establishment's location, design, facilities and equipment; and
  • prevent food contamination with the right design and construction and by choosing appropriate equipment.

Further Readings

The selected links refer to online sources relevant to the Section on Facilities and Equipment of the FAO GHP and HACCP Toolbox for Food Safety. The chosen links provide valuable online information to gain more in-depth topical knowledge.

(If any of the following links are broken, please notify [email protected])