I. PURPOSE

This directive limits the daily number of hours that an IO inspection employee may be 
assigned to inspection duties.

II. CANCELLATION
Cancels MPI Directive 904.1, dated July 5, 1972, and MPI Bulletin 11, dated June 23, 1972. This directive cancels all other instructions dealing with the 10 or 12 hours duty limitations.

III. REASON FOR ISSUANCE
This directive combines the duty limitations for red meat and poultry plants into an FSIS directive. Duty limits were previously found in MPI Directive 904.1 and MPI Bulletin 11.

IV. REFERENCE
FSIS Directive 4610.1, Tours of Duty
FSIS Directive 4610.5, Alternative Work Schedules
FSIS Directive 5110.1, Reimbursable Services Reference Guide

V. POLICY
A. Slaughter Line Duty Limitation. The maximum time an employee may work on 
the slaughter line is 10 hours. The 10 hours does not .include:

1. Lunch periods.
2. Regularly scheduled establishment breaks.
3. Time before and after slaughter operations conducting antemortem, sanitation, and offal inspection.
4. Time spent supervising disposal of condemned materials.
5. Time spent preparing reports.
6. Time during equipment failures or breakdowns provided FSIS employees are away from slaughter line duties during the failures or breakdowns for at least 30 minutes during the shift.

B. Shift Limitation. The maximum time a slaughter or processing employee may be assigned to daily inspection duties (i.e., in a pay status) is 12 hours.

VI. CONSULTATIONS

Any deviation from this policy will require consultation at the local level according to Article V, Section A, of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.