1.     Careful consideration must be given to the size of the site, with allowance for various buildings and traffic circulation. Abattoirs can be classified into 3 categories according to area size: small (1-2 acres/ 30000 animal), medium (2-4 acres/ 50000 animal) and large (4-6 acres, 100000 animal).

2.     The site should be far away from inhabited center to avoid complaints about noise and smell, near to animal markets and railway stations, near to water, electricity, and sewerage supply and constructed in a way that allows possible expansions.

3.     Water must be potable and distributed to all parts of the abattoir under adequate pressure (20 PSI) & adequate supply of hot (not less than 82Cº) and cold potable water for cleaning of the equipment. The recommended water requirement is 454 L/day, 272 L/day, and 45 L/day for pig, bovine, and sheep, respectively.

4.     Three-phase electricity should be supplied and a stand-by generator.

5.     An adequate natural or artificial lighting must be provided throughout the abattoir. The type of lighting must not distort colors. It is generally recommended that the overall intensity should not be less than 540, 220 lux and 110 lux in inspection points, work rooms and other areas, respectively. These intensities of light are usually taken at levels of 0.9 m. from the floor, except in the inspection areas where the height is 1.5 m.

6.     Adequate ventilation must be provided to prevent accumulation of odors, dust, and excessive heat, but it should not cause draughts and thus problems for staff. Windows and open ventilators should be screened.

7.     Construction:

a.     The floors should be hard, non-slippery, impervious, non-toxic, easily cleaned, and disinfected, easily drained and covered at wall junctions of the floor of the slaughter halls, lairage, work and chill rooms.

b.     The walls should be faced with a smooth, durable, impermeable material and covered by glazed tiles to a height not less than 3 meters from the floor and preferably reaching the ceiling, which should also be smooth, hard, and impervious to be easily cleaned and disinfected.

c.     The roof should be designed to provide adequate ventilation and light.

d.     The drainage system in the traditional abattoir floor must be sloped to the direction of the gutters and non-covered. While in modern abattoir rapid elimination of waste material and water must be carried out by transferring them to the effluent treatment unit to ensure maximum prevention of environmental pollution.

e.     The doors should be wide enough to allow passage of personnel, carcasses, and offal without contact with doorway with a width of 1.37m. It must be constructed of rust resistant material. If the doors are made of wood, they should be covered with rust-resistant smooth impermeable material.