KENYA STANDARD                                                                      DKS 2905 -1 
                     
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Leather  – Code of P ractice – Basic requirements  
  for preservation  Premise s of raw Hides and  
  Skins.  
    Part. 1 Wet S alting Premises  
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
No copying of this standard without KEBS permission except as permitted by copyright law  
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                                                          First Edition  
 
 
kebs@2020                                 2905 -1: 2020   
  
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
 
The following organizations were represented on t he Technical Committee:  
 
 
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)  
Government Chemist  
Kenya Association of Leather Technologists and Scientists  
Bata Shoe Company, PLC  
Umoja Rubber Products Limited.  
Ministry of Industry, Trade and Enterp rise development  
Environmental Institute of Kenya  
Kenya Footwear manufacturers  
Pelinks Company  
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat    
 
 
 
 
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
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for improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 2020  
 
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 KENYA STANDARD                                                              2905 -1:2020  
 
  
 
KENYA STANDARD                                                                2905 -1: 2020  
 
Leather – Code of Practice – Basic requirements for 
preservation Premises of raw Hides and Skins.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
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                                2905 -1: 2020   
  
FOREWORD  
 
This Kenya Standard was prepared by the Technical Committee on Leather and Leather Products under the 
guidance of the Standards Projects Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya 
Bureau of Standards.  
The quality of raw hides and skins is largely dependent on ante  mortem and postmortem defects . Among the 
postmortem defects are those arising  from faulty methods of flaying, which are critical in  safeguarding the 
quality of hides and skins intended for conversion to leather.  In addition to the above, the final quality  of 
hides, skins and leather can be affected by the preservation premises and curing methods.  
 
During the preparation of this code of practice, reference was made to the following documents:  
 
IS 4393: Indian standard  for basic requirements  an abattoir  
IS: 7656:1995    Code of practice for curing and p reservation of cattle hides,  goat and sheep skins by wet 
salting method.  
KS 872 Glossary of defects relating to raw hides and skins.  
KS EAS 93 -1 Preservation of raw hides and skins — Code of practice — Part 1: Stack  
salting  
 
 Meat Control ACT of laws of Kenya. CAP 356.     
Hides, Skins and Leather Trade ACT.   CAP 359.              
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 KENYA STANDARD                                                              2905 -1:2020  
 
  
 
KENYA STANDARD                                                                2905 -1: 2020  
 
Leather – Code of Practice – Basic requirements for preservation 
Premises of raw Hides and Skins . Part 1 –salt stacking .       
 
1. SCOPE   
 
This code of practice  prescribes the  basic requirements for preservation premise for raw 
hides and skins  using salt stacking method.  It covers  basic requirements of  construction 
and lay out  of premises for preservation of raw hide s and skins of bovine, goat, sheep and 
other large animals  
 
2. APPLICATION  
 
This code of practice shall apply to premises for curing and preservation of raw hides and 
skins before tanning by using wet salting process.  
 
3.  Normative references  
There are n o reference following  referenced documents are indispensable for the making  
of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated 
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) 
applies.  
 
KS 872 Glossary  of defects relating to raw hides and skins.  
 
KS EAS 93 -1 Preservation of raw hides and skins — Code of practice — Part 1: Stack  
salting  
 
 
4.       Terms and D efinitions  
 
For the purposes of this standard the fol lowing definitions shall apply : 
 
4.1 bovine hide — Integral covering of a bovine.  
4.2 sheep skin — Integral covering of ovine  (wool or hair sheep) . 
4.3 goat  skin — Integral covering from a caprine  (goat)  
4.4 fallen  hide/ skin — Hide/skin obtained from an un-bled or improperly bled carca ss of 
an animal that had died of natural causes.   
 
                                2905 -1: 2020   
  
4.5 preservation  — Treatment to protect the hides and skin against harmful influences 
from the time of flaying until it  is put in the tannery for processing  or an a ct taken to 
prevent putrefaction after  flaying before tanning.  
4.6 putrefaction  — Rotting/decomposition in hides and skins due to bact erial action, 
which liquefy the gelatin.  
4.7 raw hide or skin — Green or  preserved hide or skin that has not been converted into 
leather.  
4.8 curing  — A preser vation method  
4.9 Curing chemicals  – Chemicals used in curing process  
 
5.  Preservation  premises   
 
5.1 Site, accessibility and construction   
 
5.1.1   A preservation premise  shall be located in an area which is reasonably free from  
           objectionabl e odors, smoke and dust. Adequate dust -proof access -ways  
           Connecting  the curing premises  with public roads shall be available. The       
           preservation  premises should  be isolated  from any other buildings used for  
            food industry, residential  area or buildings used for  any other commercial  
            purposes.  
5.1.2. If any other  business is carried  out within the official building  of preservation  
premises , customers shall have access only to the room or rooms where such 
business is conducted and shall be excluded from the rest of the premises . 
5.1.3. Minimum requirements shall be maintained in the construction of a preservation  
premises as provided for in relevant legislation or requirement  for drawings and 
construction  specifications  
5.1.4. No person shall  erect a curing premises withou t approval from  relevant statutory 
authority and fulfilling all legal requirements.  
5.2 Sanitation  
         Each curing premises shall have adequate sanitation  facilities including      
         water and other amenities for personnel working in the premises 
 
 
 
  KENYA STANDARD                                                              2905 -1:2020  
 
  
 
KENYA STANDARD                                                                2905 -1: 2020  
6.0 GENERAL  PRINCIPLES APPLICABLE  TO CONSTRUCTION AND LAY OUT  OF PRESERVATION 
PREMISES  
 
6.1 Construction of preservation  premises  
 
6.1.1  Preservation  premises shall b e const ructed  using appropriate material s that are 
resist ant to corrosion by curing chemicals .  
 
6.1.2  The w alls shall be constructed by natural stones, timber or any other appropriate 
materials. The construction materials shall be appropriately treated so  as to resist 
corrosion by chemicals used in the curing processes.  The wall s shall be h igh enough 
and well ventilated to allow free flow  of air.  
  
6.1.3  The floor shall be constructed  by using appropriate material s which can with stand 
corrosion by  curing chemical s. 
 
6.2.0 General  lay out  
 
6.2.1  There shall be raised p latforms  or raised ground portions for spreading the raw 
hides and skins . The platforms shall be  constructed on the floor of preservation 
premises. The following measurements for the area of different  platforms are 
recommended;  
  
(i) 4 m x4 m for camel hides,  
(ii) 3 mx3 m for bovine hides  
(iii)  2 mx2 m for skins of small er animals .  
 
These platform s shall  be raised  above  the floor  by approximate 60cm. They shall have 
walking area s of approximate 60cm wide between a nd around each platform . 
 
6.2.2  Trenches of approximate 10cm by 10cm between and around the raised platforms 
shall be  prepared  to all ow drainage of the waste liquid s from the salted hides and skins. 
Each trench shall be constructed so as  to prevent corrosi on and  ease of cleaning.  
 
 6.2.3  The trench es shall be covered by perforated or any other appropriate material to 
prevent slipping accidents  within the preservation premises . The trench es shall be 
graded or sloping to allow free flow of water and other liq uid waste materials.  
 
6.2.4    There shall be a facility for  disposal and collection of liquid waste f rom the 
preservation premises using  appropri ate methods  approved by relevant authorities . 
 
6.2.5  The roof sha ll be made of material that is resistant to co rrosion by the 
preservation chemicals and fumes. The premises shall be well ventilated and well lit 
with natural and/or artificial light.  
 
6.2.6  Preservation  premises shall have a facility for washing the fresh hides and skins  
before wet salting . The faci lity shall have  a container/place  for temporary brine soaking  
before the hides and skins are wet salted .                                 2905 -1: 2020   
  
6.2.7  There shall be bins or  facility for holding hides and skins  trimmings and other solid 
waste  within or near the premises . 
 
 6.2.6  The waste liqu id shall be directed to a waste pond for sa lt and other chemicals 
recovery /or disposal  in an environmentally sound method.  
 
6.2.8  The liquid and solid waste generated from the curin g premises shall be disposed 
of as per the existing rules and regulations.