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Managing Human Risk in Livestock Handling
Steve Isaacs, Laura Powers, G.T. LineberryUniversity of Kentucky
Ted ScharfNational Institute of Occupational Safety and
Health
Work Crew Performance Model• Background
– Mining – Construction – Agriculture
• WCPM designed to ID critical action-safety factors in a task
Procedures
• Task: Livestock handling• Focus Group I• Focus Group II• Expert Opinion• Validation• Delivery
Procedures
• Focus Group I– Harrison Co, KY– Experienced livestock handlers– ID and categorize tasks/activities
Procedure
• Focus Group II– Montgomery Co, KY– Experienced livestock handlers– Q-sort procedure to ID critical tasks
Four Categories
• Environmental conditions (4 sub-tasks)
• Animal behavior (7)• Handling facilities and equipment
(8)• Safe handling techniques (13)
I. Environmental conditions
Evaluate today’s weather
Evaluate today’s surface conditions
Wear properly fitted clothing and protective footwear
Avoid handling animals during extreme hot or cold
II. Animal behavior
Understand gender and breed behavioral differences
Take advantage of your knowledge of the animal’s historical behaviors
Assess the degree of animal’s agitation and anxiety
Operate within the animal’s natural daily patterns
Increase caution around mothers with offspring
Understand and utilize the animal’s flight zone
Take advantage of the animal’s herding instinct
III. Handling facilities and equipmentLay out facilities to take advantage of animals’ natural responses
Design for appropriate capacity and expansion
Construct sturdy and durable handling facilities
Provide escape gates and barriers
Match cost and complexity to herd composition, size and location(s)
Judiciously use proper handling aids (prods, sticks, shocks)
Use proper and adequate restraining devices (chutes, ropes, halters
Organize and have available appropriate tools, medications and equipment
IV. Safe handling techniquesMatch age, experience and skill of the handler(s) to the task
Be especially cautious around animals that are handled less frequently
Minimize unwanted noise during animal handling
Use extra caution when loading, transporting and unloading animals
Plan an escape route
Dedicate appropriate number of workers to task (too many or too few)
Use a calm voice, deliberate actions and confident approach
IV. Safe handling techniques (cont.)
Don’t’ trust or take animals for granted or become complacent with routine jobs
Use proper lifting techniques
Know when to seek assistance (veterinarian, additional worker)
Alternate tasks to avoid repetitive stress/motion injuries
Take special precautions to avoid cuts and needle pricks
Minimize exposure in the “kicking zone”
Results
• Focus Group II– Q-sort of safety-action factor– Sorted into five categories based on
perception of “consequences” of failure to perform task
– Sort for routine herd health practices– Sort for emergency treatments
Important
Very Importan
t
Original Deck
Critical
Important
Critical
Very Critical
Critical Medium Level
Medium Level
Important
I. Environmental conditions
Routine
Emergency
Evaluate today’s weather 2.64 1.80
Evaluate today’s surface conditions
2.43 1.40
Wear properly fitted clothing and protective footwear
2.79 2.20
Avoid handling animals during extreme hot or cold
2.64 1.60
II. Animal behaviorRoutine Emerg
Understand gender and breed behavioral differences
2.50 3.07
Take advantage of your knowledge of the animal’s historical behaviors
3.14 3.00
Assess the degree of animal’s agitation and anxiety
3.14 3.13
Operate within the animal’s natural daily patterns
2.43 1.80
Increase caution around mothers with offspring
4.14 3.73
Understand and utilize the animal’s flight zone
3.29 2.87
Take advantage of the animal’s herding instinct
2.86 1.93
III. Handling facilities and equipment
RoutineEmer
g
Lay out facilities to take advantage of animals’ natural responses
3.29 2.07
Design for appropriate capacity and expansion
2.86 1.93
Construct sturdy and durable handling
3.71 3.47
Provide escape gates and barriers 3.43 3.27
III. Handling facilities and equipment (cont.)
Routine Emerg
Match cost and complexity to herd composition, size and location(s)
1.86 1.67
Judiciously use proper handling aids (prods, sticks, shocks)
3.00 2.53
Use proper and adequate restraining devices (chutes, ropes, halters
4.07 4.07
Organize and have available appropriate tools, medications and equipment
3.50 3.60
IV. Safe handling techniquesRoutin
eEmer
g
Match age, experience and skill of the handler(s) to the task
2.79 2.73
Be especially cautious around animals that are handled less frequently
3.07 2.73
Minimize unwanted noise during animal handling
2.85 3.27
Use extra caution when loading, transporting and unloading animals
3.29 2.33
Plan an escape route 3.71 3.67
Dedicate appropriate number of workers to task (too many or too few)
2.36 2.20
Use a calm voice, deliberate actions and confident approach
3.14 3.53
IV. Safe handling techniques Routin
eEmer
g
Don’t’ trust or take animals for granted or become complacent with routine jobs
3.50 3.73
Use proper lifting techniques 2.00 1.87
Know when to seek assistance (veterinarian, additional worker)
3.57 3.73
Alternate tasks to avoid repetitive stress/motion injuries
2.29 2.07
Take special precautions to avoid cuts and needle pricks
2.14 2.53
Minimize exposure in the “kicking zone”
3.50 3.07
• Expert Opinion– Avoid Lone animal– Never tie lead rope to self– Maintenance of latches on squeeze
chute– Rear within social groups– Increase caution around bulls– Make sure there are no sharp edges
that may cause injury
.• Expert Opinion (con’t)– Do not use, or make minimal use of
electric prods and sticks– Do not hit an animal of they do not
have a place to go– Minimize unwanted noise and visitors– Be cautious around animals that are
agitated– Try to handle cattle in groups rather
than individually
Most critical safety-action factors
Environmental conditions1. Avoid handling animals during extreme
hot and humid or cold weather2. Wear properly fitting clothing and
protective footwear
Animal behavior1. Increase caution around mothers with
offspring, and bulls2. Understand and utilize the animal’s flight
zone
Most critical safety-action factors (cont.)
Handling facilities and equipment1. Construct sturdy and durable
handling facilities2. Lay out facilities to take advantage
of animals’ natural responses (and behavior)
3. Use proper and adequate restraining devices (chutes, ropes, head gates)
Most critical safety-action factors (cont.)
Safe handling techniques1. Be especially cautious around
animals that are handled less frequently or are agitated
2. Don’t trust or take animals for granted or become complacent with routine jobs
3. Match age, experience and skill of the handler(s) to the task
Farmer vs Agent Responses
I. Environmental conditions– Similar responses
II. Animal behavior– Similar except for understanding and
using animals’ flight zone. Becomes less critical in the emergency situation for farmers
Farmer vs Agent Responses (cont.)
III. Handling facilities and equipment– Agents consider layout of facilities
given animals’ natural responses more critical
– Having available appropriate tools, meds, equipment more critical in emergency situation for farmers
Farmer vs Agent Responses (cont.)
IV. Safe handling techniques – Match age, experience of handler(s) to
the task more critical to agents than to farmers
– Being cautious around animals handled less frequently: ranked #1 for agents, #7 for farmers
– Know when to seek assistance more critical to farmers than agents
– Similar: Don’t trust or take animals for granted
Extension delivery• Master Cattleman workshops
– Fifteen, 10-session workshops
• Laminated “working chute” checklist
• Extension publications videos
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