Health and Safety

Personal Safety:

• Tiredness – this can be physical, mental or ‘lack of sleep’

• Communication – poor communication can lead to mental stress and anxiety / good communication around risks, new hazards, and safe farm procedures can prevent accidents

• Stress, Anxiety, Burnout – watching for signs of this in your staff, along with preventative measure such as creating a non-threatening work environment, a regular work roster that provides adequate time out, and open channels of communication

• Manual lifting

• Weather protection

 

Machinery:

• Training and clear expectations around safe use

• PTO’s – correct installation, training, protective covers

• Implements – correct use and attachment of each

• Regular cleaning and maintenance + professional servicing as required

• Wearing of helmets as required

• Mixer wagons – ensuring no-one climbs in or on them, even when not in use

• Mowing gear - correct maintenance, stopping blades before leaving the paddock

 

Animals:

• Goats with horns – this includes older animals as well as younger ones that may still have horns and require manual handling (such as lifting Cabrito kids onto the truck or shifting from one pen to another)

• Bucks - you can find some information relating to safe buck handling here

• Biting

• Zoonotic Diseases - these are ones that can be transferred from animals to humans, such as Cryptosporidium, Campylobacter, Listeria, Cheesy Gland (Caseous Lymphadenitis)

 

Infrastructure:

• Silos & their ladders

• Tracks and races – keeping speeds to a safe level, filling pot holes

• Gates and rails – making sure they are properly secured

 

Surfaces:

• Slippery surfaces

• Trip hazards – washdown hoses, kids under foot or other obstacles associated with kid rearing

• Un-even surfaces – particularly in the housing barns

 

Water:

• Hot water / burns

• Electrical hazards relating to water

• Open ponds or waterways

• Drinking water – is the farm water safe to drink?

 

Chemicals:

• Diary Shed chemicals

• Weed sprays

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Administration:

• Plans – include a copy of your Health and Safety Plan with each employment contract and ensure you go over this with new staff before they start work, and review it regularly with all staff

• Induction Processes – include health and safety as part of the induction process with new staff

• Including discussions around Health and Safety and Hazards at regular meetings

• Reporting – ensure staff know how and when to report an incident or near-miss