22 Mar Testing on larger farms

Most practices continue to see a steady increase in the size of some dairy farms, and this brings its own set of challenging circumstances, including some very long days.

It is a condition of the new ‘second-generation’ VDP contracts that the best standard of health and safety and risk management is observed during TB tests and special emphasis is given to encouraging practices to carefully manage the time that any individual TB tester spends on farm. This means that evidence may be required that a practice is demonstrably paying greater attention to the risks involved for any individuals spending longer than eight hours in any twenty-four (24) hour period engaged in TB testing activity. This is including the travel time required to and from the farm.

Practices remain legally responsible for all statutory Health and Safety obligations for their employees, with significant penalties now being enforced if any business owners or directors are found to have failed in this regard. It is possibly timely to update any safe working procedures and Risk Assessments in relation to TB testing to ensure that everyone concerned knows what responsibilities they have to safeguard their own safety, health and welfare, and that of others. Please ensure that these updates also include information on the length of the working day and arrangements for work-breaks.

Please note that the attending vet is not automatically responsible for everyone else present during a TB test but it would be wise to always point out any risks or threats to safety to anyone with whom they work. They should also be reminded that they must never be afraid to remove themselves from any situation where they feel under threat. The Authority will pay for the instruction fee and for any cattle tested up until the point at which any test must be abandoned although we do require completion of a form to evidence the reasons why the test could not be continued (or even started!)