Working with Livestock Safety Highlighted

Working with Livestock Safety Highlighted

Summary: SafeWork SA has launched a compliance campaign targeting livestock handling and transport risks, beginning June 2021. Inspectors will audit saleyards, feedlots, livestock exchange facilities and abattoirs, checking that safety management systems protect workers from injury during livestock handling activities.

A SafeWork SA compliance campaign focusing on risks associated with livestock handling and transport will commence in June 2021. High-risk areas for people involved in livestock handling can include sale yards, abattoirs, feedlots, cattle transportation, laneways, and on-farm sale related activities.

Injury Risks in Livestock Handling

Data from Safe Work Australia report that people and workers who handle livestock in the agriculture industry face risk of sustaining severe injuries such as bone fractures, bruising, dislocations, crush injuries, lacerations and, in some cases, death. Animals get involved in about 20% of serious injuries, making hazardous handling practices a genuine concern for health and safety management across the sector.

These hazards highlight why robust workplace health and safety management systems remain critical for businesses that regularly deal with animals in yards, transport vehicles or processing facilities.

SafeWork SA's Handling Guidelines and Inspection Focus

SafeWork SA has developed a guideline for livestock handling, and inspectors will audit saleyards, feedlots, livestock exchange facilities and abattoirs to ensure safety control measures remain in place. This handling management approach protects workers from injury by providing adequate training, manual handling techniques, and appropriate plant and systems to separate personnel from animals.

Effective management of these hazards depends on consistent application of handling procedures, ongoing training and equipment designed to minimise direct animal contact. Businesses managing livestock handling operations should review their current management practices against SafeWork SA's guideline to confirm workers are adequately protected.

Key Areas Covered by the Handling Campaign

• Sale yards and livestock exchange facilities
• Abattoirs and feedlot handling operations
• Cattle transportation and laneway management
• On-farm sale related handling activities

Management teams overseeing these environments should treat handling incidents as preventable outcomes rather than unavoidable hazards, given how injuries and incidents involving livestock continue to affect worker health across the industry.

A Message from SafeWork SA

SafeWork SA Acting Executive Director Mr Glenn Farrell said, "I encourage anyone involved with livestock handling and transport to understand their responsibility and ways to make their workplace safe."

Organisations seeking to strengthen their management systems around handling practices may also find value in reviewing broader guides on workplace risk management, such as those covering confined space work or working safely around heavy equipment, since many management principles for hazard control overlap across high-risk industries.

For workers engaged in physically demanding handling tasks, understanding manual handling risks remains essential; supporting resources on safety tips for working alone can further inform management of isolated or remote handling scenarios common in agricultural settings.

View the original article on the SafeWork SA website.