POULTRY FARM HEALTH AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Health and safety are often overlooked in many poultry farming concerns but they are just as important. Organic or free range poultry farms are often characterized with less automation, lower stocking density and smaller-sized sheds and that means the health and safety standards may not always be taken seriously.

Ideally, visitors to a poultry farm must first wash their and disinfect their hands and feet before stepping into the poultry shed or the range area. Many poultry sheds have a trough with disinfectant or a wheel wash that is strategically placed at the entrance to the shed.

More sophisticated poultry farms have biosuits as well as clean boots that must be donned before entering the shed. Such a professional and rigorous approach to poultry biosecurity will go a long way in preventing the spread of diseases and pathogens in the poultry shed.

The same attention to detail must also be observed throughout the poultry farm in order to keep it safe. Emphasis should be placed in not just keeping the poultry out of harm’s way but also in protecting the staff and visitors to the poultry farm.

Dust Masks

Some poultry farms go the extra mile and require that visitors and farm workers to the farm wear dust masks. These masks should also be replaced on a regular basis to ensure the safety of everyone.

The workers in the poultry farm should also undergo regular health checks upon induction and their lung capacity monitored on a regular basis. The large amount dust in the poultry shed is likely to have an impact on the health of the farm workers if they are not adequately protected.

Long term exposure to the dust and the dander in the poultry house is also likely to cause long term respiratory conditions unless the management undertakes proactive steps to protect the workers. Employers should not only provide protection but also offer regular health surveillance to ensure that the exposure is not adversely affecting the workers in the poultry farm.

The Importance of Signage

Signage should be provided generously in the farm to direct workers and visitors to the farm on the proper health and safety precautions. The signage will also help in upholding the high health and safety standards that you have to put in place.

Machinery

Poultry farms use various kinds of machinery such as the trucks used for egg collection, lawn mowers, feed delivery trucks as well as various on farm vehicles. If you are not careful with how you operate this machinery, you may end up causing lots of accidents on the farm some of which may be fatal.

If you have large machinery on your poultry farm, make sure the staff operating machinery are well trained in the safe operation of machinery throughout the farm. Impose a speed limit such as 10mph on all motorized machinery used within the farm. This will minimize the severity of on-farm accidents.
Having multiple motorized machinery on your farm could pose serious danger to everyone on the farm. Ensure the traffic flow in the poultry farm is also well regulated.