Section 743.40  Exterior Construction and Maintenance

a)         Construction.  The vending machine shall be of sturdy construction and the exterior shall be so designed, fabricated, finished, and maintained so as to facilitate its being kept clean, and to minimize the entrance of insects and rodents.  The exterior of the machine shall be kept clean.

b)         Door and Panel Access Openings.  Door and panel access openings to the food and container storage spaces of the machine shall be tight-fitting, and if necessary, gasketed, so as to prevent the entrance of dust, moisture, insects and rodents.

c)         Louvers or Openings.  All ventilation louvers or openings into vending machines shall be effectively screened.  Screening material for openings into food and container storage spaces of the machines shall be not less than 16 mesh to the inch or equivalent.  Screening material for openings into condenser units are separated from food and container storage spaces shall be no less than 8 mesh to the inch or equivalent.

d)         Condenser Unit.  In all vending machines in which the condenser unit is an integral part of the machine, such unit when located below the food and container storage space shall be separated from the space by a dustproof barrier, and when located above, shall be sealed from such space.

e)         Machine Base.

1)         Unless the vending machines is sealed to the floor or counter so as to prevent seepage underneath, or can be manually moved with ease, one or more of the following provisions shall be utilized to facilitate cleaning operations:

A)        the machine shall be designed and installed with legs or side panels which provide an unobstructed clearance of 6" between machine base and floor; provided that counter-type machines may use 4-inch legs; or

B)        the machine shall be mounted on casters or rollers; or

C)        the machine shall be mounted on gliders which permit it to be easily moved.

2)         Judgment on the method use shall be upon the ability of the operator to maintain the floor around and under machine in a sanitary condition.

f)         Service Connections.  All service connections through an exterior wall of the machine, including water, gas, electrical, and refrigeration connections, shall be grommeted or closed to prevent the entrance of insects and rodents. All service connections to machines vending potentially hazardous food or food in bulk shall be such as to discourage their unauthorized or unintentional disconnection.