Task B (Practical Husbandry) - Safe Working Practices
Topic Summary:
Shown below are various pieces of evidence relating to safe working practices I utilise in my role at the Deer Centre. The evidence covers safety during food preparation, use of equipment, use of chemicals, manual handling and when working in and around enclosures, and includes the following:
- A photograph showing safe food preparation practices
- A safety data sheet for a commonly used chemical for medical treatment
- Candidate reports relating to safe chemical use and a security protocol for working with a protected-contact species
- A witness statement relating to a manual handling exercise I was involved in
- A risk assessment I adhere to when using an item of maintenance equipment
Safe Food Preparation
Whilst preparing meat for carnivore feeds, or any other food using knives, appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) must be worn at all times.
At the Deer Centre, when using knives, the bone saw or machete to prepare food, an anti-cut glove must be worn on the opposite hand to the one holding the implement, and the thumb of that hand tucked in close to or under the palm as an added safeguard. For preparation of all food, disposable vinyl gloves should be worn on both hands (including under the anti-cut glove for additional protection against any seeping liquids), and an apron should be worn when preparing all meat. Any cuts on hands should be covered with plasters underneath gloves. When working with heavy meats, steel-toed boots should be worn in case meat is dropped from height, to prevent injury.
Gloves should be changed, implements and surfaces must be cleaned and disinfected with Virkon S between preparation of different food types, and the correct colour of chopping board should be used depending on which type of food is being prepared (brown for fruit and vegetables; blue for fish; red for all other meats). This is important as a barrier against cross-contamination.
In the photograph to the right, I am shown preparing a large chunk of horse-meat wearing an anti-cut glove on my left hand, with my left thumb slotted just under my index finger. My left hand is being used to apply pressure to the meat to stop it slipping on the red chopping board, leaving my right hand free to use the bone saw to slice through the large bone within the meat. I am also wearing a disposable plastic apron as protection against blood residue. A spray bottle of Virkon S and a recently cleaned blue chopping board used to prepare fish can be seen in the background. Though not shown in the photograph, I was also wearing Rigger steel-toed boots at the time, given I was cutting through a 14kg chunk of meat.
| Candidate Signature: | Witness Signature: |
| Date: 12/04/2016 | Date: 12/04/2016 |
Preparing Carnivore Meat Safely
Safe Use of Aerosols in Medical Treatment
Any chemicals in zoos must be used by suitably trained and authorised persons in line with COSHH assessments and the substance's safety data sheet. Aerosols such as medical treatment sprays carry particular risks from exposure and their safe use must be prioritised.
At the Deer Centre, the main aerosol used in medical care is the Oxytetracycline-based Terramycin spray, which is applied topically to injuries to guard against infection and promote healing.
The safety data sheet for Terramycin, which details the precautions we take whilst using it at the Deer Centre, is shown below, alongside a scenario where I used the spray to treat an injury suffered by one of our Short-Clawed Otters, explaining how and what precautions I took whilst using the product.
Safe Use of Equipment
Risk assessments are compiled and updated annually (or more often if necessary) in relation to all tools, equipment and machinery routinely used at the Deer Centre. In line with our health and safety policy, it is our personal responsibility to adhere to the terms laid out in the risk assessment for whichever item we are using at the time.
Shown to the right is the 2015-16 risk assessment for use of the Centre's petrol strimmer, which I use to cut the grass in the otter enclosure and to strim the perimeter of the lynx and wolf enclosures. I always ensure all relevant PPE is worn whilst I am working with the strimmer and that I verify that it has been checked for faults by the maintenance team.
This particular risk assessment has now been updated to include amendments I proposed, including the fact that the strimmer is used by keepers as well as the maintenance team and to reflect the risks from thrown material e.g. stones hit the strimmer and the line potentially being caught in fence materials.