Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 21-156 Scope.
§ 21-156. - Scope.
The provisions of this division shall apply to slaughterhouses.
(Code 1980, § 21-106)
SLAUGHTERHOUSES
Oklahoma City Municipal Code ch. 21, art. IV, div. 2
in effectOklahoma City Municipal Code § 21-157 Sanitation generally.
§ 21-157. - Sanitation generally.
(a) Meat intended for sale shall be slaughtered in a slaughterhouse which is clean and sanitary and equipped for the proper protection of meat in accordance with the provisions of this article.
(b) All meat products shall be inspected as required in detail by this article and by such laws of the State as may be in force and such valid regulations as have been adopted thereunder for guidance in meat production.
(Code 1970, § 16-51; Code 1980, § 21-107)
Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 21-158 Water and drainage.
§ 21-158. - Water and drainage.
Slaughterhouses shall have adequate water, free from contamination. A slaughterhouse shall have an efficient system of drainage or sewer connections so that no water or refuse of any kind shall soak into the ground.
(Code 1970, § 16-52; Code 1980, § 21-108)
Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 21-159 Construction and cleaning of floors.
§ 21-159. - Construction and cleaning of floors.
(a) Slaughterhouses shall have suitable floors, constructed in such a manner as to be watertight, and which shall carry off all blood and waste into tubs, reservoirs, or into the sewer. The floors shall be thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned each day after the slaughtering is completed.
(b) Where floors or other parts of buildings, or tables or other parts of the equipment are so old or in such poor condition that they cannot be readily made sanitary, they shall be removed and replaced with suitable materials.
(Code 1970, § 16-53; Code 1980, § 21-109)
Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 21-160 Care and cleaning of walls.
§ 21-160. - Care and cleaning of walls.
The walls of slaughtering, meat dressing and cooling rooms shall be tight and smooth, frequently painted, and kept in a sanitary condition, and when necessary they shall be scraped, painted, or otherwise treated as required.
(Code 1970, § 16-54; Code 1980, § 21-110)
Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 21-161 Offal and uncooked meat.
§ 21-161. - Offal and uncooked meat.
(a) All offal shall be cleaned up and disposed of daily either by tanking or removal from the premises of the plant. The system for, and operation connected with, the treatment of offal and condemned meats for fertilizer, grease, or other purposes shall be in a separate building, or in a different part of the building from that in which the products intended for food are handled, and shall be separated by masonry. No fertilizer or other product of the tanked offal shall be stored or brought into any place or room where products intended for food are handled or stored.
(b) Such tanking operations shall be conducted in a sanitary manner and with proper mechanical devices therefor, and the rendering and other rooms and equipment shall be cleaned daily and there shall also be used a sufficient deodorizer to destroy offensive odors resulting from said operations.
(c) No animal intended for slaughter shall be fed on any uncooked meat or offal, or any meat or offal of a diseased animal.
(Code 1970, § 16-55; Code 1980, § 21-111)
Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 21-162 Handling diseased carcasses.
§ 21-162. - Handling diseased carcasses.
(a) Butchers who dress or handle diseased carcasses or parts shall clean their hands thoroughly before dressing or handling healthy carcasses.
(b) All butcher's implements used in dressing diseased carcasses shall be sanitized in an approved manner. Facilities for such cleaning and sanitization, approved by the Director, shall be provided by the establishment.
(c) Separate sanitary trucks, etc., which shall be appropriately and distinctly marked, shall be furnished for handling diseased carcasses and parts. Following the slaughter of any animal affected with an infectious disease, no further work shall be done until the implements have been cleaned with hot water and soap and sanitized unless other clean implements are provided.
(Code 1970, § 16-56; Code 1980, § 21-112)
Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 21-163 Spitting and related practices.
§ 21-163. - Spitting and related practices.
(a) Spitting on whetstones or steel when sharpening knives is prohibited. Carcasses shall not be inflated with air from the mouth, and no other inflation of carcasses shall be allowed.
(b) Carcasses shall not be dressed with skewers, knives, or other implements that have been held in the mouth.
(Code 1970, § 16-57; Code 1980, § 21-113)
Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 21-164 Cleaning of utensils and equipment.
§ 21-164. - Cleaning of utensils and equipment.
All trucks, trays, scalding tanks, and other receptacles, all chutes, platforms, racks, hooks, tables, and all knives, saws, cleavers and other tools, and all utensils, machinery and vehicles used in moving, handling, cutting, chopping, mixing, canning, or other process, shall be thoroughly cleaned before and after using.
(Code 1970, § 16-58; Code 1980, § 21-114)
Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 21-165 Toilets and dressing rooms.
§ 21-165. - Toilets and dressing rooms.
(a) Toilet and dressing rooms to be separate. All water closets, toilet rooms and dressing rooms shall be entirely separated from compartments in which carcasses are dressed, or meat or food products are cured, stored, packed, handled or prepared.
(b) Toilets to meet certain standards. Water closets and toilet rooms shall be provided in slaughterhouses, and shall be conveniently located, sufficient in number, ample in size and fitted with proper lavatory accommodations. They shall be properly lighted, suitably ventilated and kept in a clean sanitary condition.
(c) Committing of nuisance in slaughter pen prohibited. No person shall commit any nuisance whatsoever in the slaughter pens of any abattoir or slaughterhouse.
(d) Washbasins required absent other facilities. Approved handwashing facilities with plenty of soap, hot and cold water and clean towels shall be conveniently located for use at all times in all slaughterhouses where other lavatory facilities are not provided.
(Code 1970, § 16-59; Code 1980, § 21-115)
Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 21-166 Location restrictions for confinement of animals.
§ 21-166. - Location restrictions for confinement of animals.
No animals, whether intended for slaughter or otherwise, shall be confined or otherwise maintained within 50 feet of any slaughterhouse.
(Code 1970, § 16-60; Code 1980, § 21-116)
Oklahoma City Municipal Code § 21-167 Protection of dressed meats during transportation.
§ 21-167. - Protection of dressed meats during transportation.
All dressed meats hauled or transported in any manner from any slaughterhouse shall be protected from contamination in a manner approved by the Director.
(Code 1970, § 16-61; Code 1980, § 21-117)
Source: City of Oklahoma City, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ok/oklahoma_city/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=OKMUCO2020_CH21FOBE_ARTIVMEPOET_DIV2SLFetched: 10/28/2026