HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS WHICH ARE PRESENT IN THE FARM PREMISES

Working in the farm premises exposes you to a number of chemicals on a regular basis. You may come into contact with detergents, disinfectants, pesticides, fertilizers including ammonium nitrate and veterinary medicines and so on. Careful management of these chemicals will protect you and your employees from hazardous effect.

Some of the agricultural substances that are hazardous to human health include;

• Dust from plants, animals, poultry, fermented and composted materials and biocides
• Pesticides
• Medicines and feed additives
• Products used in silage production
• Fertilizers and soil improvers
• Paints, oils, lubricants, brake fluid, cleaning chemicals, disinfectants and detergents
• Micro-organisms and animal-borne diseases (zoonoses) such as cryptosporidiosis, leptospirosis, psittacosis, salmonella
• Toxic gases (slurry pit gases)
• Exhaust fumes and other fumes (fumes from welding)

How to control hazardous chemicals

In order to reduce the risks of hazardous materials on your farm, you should look at using less hazardous alternatives where possible. If this is not possible, you should consider control measures such as;

• Put lids on storage bins
• Enclose transfer points and conveying systems
• Install dust extraction
• Operate fresh air blowers
• Wear suitable personal protective clothing and equipment including respirators
• Wash exposed skin after work and apply moisturizing cream after drying

You must also be vigilant, as some dusts such as grain and poultry dust can cause occupational asthma to anyone working in the farm. You should monitor the health of your workers to detect early symptoms and seek appropriate medical advice for them.

Livestock handling in the farm

Handling of livestock in the farm should be a major component of your health and safety policy, in order to prevent injury to yourself and others who have to handle your livestock - such as vets. You should already have proper restraining and handling equipment in order to minimize any risks when handling livestock for routine tasks. Other equipment, such as halters, bull poles and pig boards should be available for larger animals like cattle and pigs in the farm.

Anything you use to guide the animals when moving them - such as pig boards, paddles or flat slap sticks - should not have sharp edges that could harm the animal. The use of electric goads should be avoided as far as possible in the farm.

Whenever animals need to be restrained for treatments or other tasks, they must be contained and be unable to move at will. If you have cattle that are likely or known to kick, then leg restraints should be used.

Pig handling in the farm

In handling pigs in the farm, you may not tether a pig unless it is undergoing an examination, test, treatment or operation carried out for any veterinary purpose. Where tethers are used, they must not cause injury to the pigs and must be inspected regularly and adjusted as necessary to ensure a comfortable fit.

Sheep handling in the farm

All sheep farmers should have secured and easily operated handling pens to facilitate routine management and treatment in the farm, on a size and scale to suit the flock numbers. Pens and floors should be kept in a good state of repair and should not have any sharp edges or projections them.

Sheep should be handled or restrained by means of a hand or an arm under the neck with the other arm placed on or around the rear. Lifting or dragging sheep by the fleece, tail, ears, horns or legs is unacceptable and dangerous to the animal.

Devices such as raddles, harnesses, tethers and yokes should be of suitable material and should be properly fitted and adjusted. They should be checked regularly and kept in good condition. Tethering by the horns is not acceptable in the farm.

Cattle handling in the farm

In the farm, it’s recommended that cattle should only be handled by those who are over 13 years of age and under 65. Every farm that handles cattle should have proper handling facilities which are well maintained and in good working order. The minimum requirements are a crush and holding pen with short race or forcing pen. Longer races are more suitable for larger numbers. A good, well-designed handling system will last many years in the farm, reduce labor requirements, improve animal welfare and be safer. Halters and ropes can be useful for handling and moving cattle around the areas of the farm premises. The rope used should be of a suitable material, which is soft twisted rope or leather, but never baler twine.

Bulls should be handled with optimum care. They should be ringed at ten months of age, and you should inspect this regularly. Their accommodation must contain outer walls of at least 1.5 meters high and made from strong materials to contain the animal in it. All cattle should be checked daily. If you keep dairy cows, they should be trained to the dairy parlor process.

Handling animals in the field

There will be some occasions when you will need to carry out tasks while your animals are in the field and without proper handling facilities. In order to reduce risk in the farm, you should have a vehicle nearby so that you can escape if necessary. If you intend to do any planned work then it is worth considering a mobile handling system. You should also have at least two people present with you when you need to separate an animal from its herd. These additional people can assist in keeping other animals away from you as you work, as well as give warnings of any problems around.