Hazard

Degree of Risk

The Existing Controls

Further Action Required

Child Supervision

Badly supervised children

High

The importance of supervision and cleanliness is emphasised to all parents and supervisors of visiting school groups. The potential dangers posed by livestock, farm equipment, water, and leaving the group is impressed on all school visitors

Running ahead of the group is the greatest problem as children quickly get far enough away to loose the close supervision that is needed.

Well supervised children

Low

Wandering children

High

“Do not leave your group” is the golden rule for educational visits.

The farm shop is the farm's designated lost child reporting point

In the event of a 'lost child' being reported, all farm staff will be contacted, given a description and told to search a designated area.

Water

Low

A lake and a river are both present on the farm and the need for the constant, close supervision of children is emphasised on the arrival of a visiting group.

Machinery

Medium

No visitor is allowed to touch any farm machinery.

No farm machinery is to be operated with visitors present.

No vehicle is to be reversed on the farm site unless either, the area to the rear of the vehicle can be positively checked by the driver or, a second person is available to ensure there are no reversing hazards present.

Animals

Supervisors are advised that any children in their care still at the finger sucking stage should not be allowed to touch or feed animals

Feeding

Low

All children are clearly told which animals they can feed and how to do so. The need to keep fingers away from pigs mouths is clearly emphasised, as is the need to keep paper bags away from goats.

Touching

Low

All children are clearly told which animals they can touch and how to do so. The need to wash hands before touching any human food is clearly emphasised.

Aggression

High

Any potentially aggressive animals are kept well away from children.

Interaction

Low

The need to move slowly and quietly around animals in order not to frighten them is emphasised.

Zoonoses

E-Coli

Low

Maintain healthy animals.

Animals and pens are kept as clean as possible.

Human eating areas kept away from animals

Washing facilities provided.

Having touched animals, children must be supervised to ensure thorough hand washing.

Contagious Abortion

Very Low

No pregnant females are allowed near lambing ewes

Warning notices re expectant mothers prominently displayed at the entrances to the lambing shed.

Lambing pens are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after every lambing.

Contagious Infections

Low

Any animal with an identified contagious infection is isolated away from the public

Food & Sweets

Low

Parents, supervisors and children are told that eating whilst going round the farm is not allowed. The dangers of getting unclean fingers near mouths is explained.

Buildings

Low

The only buildings with public access are the café / shop and the sheep shed and these are kept free of potential hazards.

Electric Fence

Low

The electric current from the single wire inside the paddock fencing does not pose any danger; however, children who touch it will get a fright a. because it will hurt and b. they won't understand what has happened to them.

All children are told not to touch the electrified wire. They are shown the warning notices that are hung on it and they will be shown an actual electric wire inside a paddock fence.