Backyard Poultry Forum

In this day and age of OH and S compliance you will find that most of the poultry show sheds do not comply fully with the national OH&S standards.

There is 1 shed in Victoria that I know of that will soon be fully compliant. I am sure that there must be more.

Some of things you must have:

• An evacuation plan on display at the exits as picture.
  
• exits must be marked
  
• Isles that do not end in a dead end.
  
• a fire extinguisher must be on site at the shed.
  
• first aid officer with a current first aid certificate and a first aid kit large enough to suite the crowd in attendance and the kit must be in date.
  
• all electrical leeds must be in the air AND NOT ON THE GROUND.
  
• all lead, power boards, and plug in appliances must be test tagged and in date tags. In Victoria that is tested every 6 months and NSW I think it is every 12 months. That included computer leads printer leads etc.
  
• No trip hazards in shed.
  
• Chemicals if any on site properly stored away and I mean not in a cupboard under the sink either.
  
• If chemicals on site hazcem signs up as well.
  
• Also for those running an auction ALL electrical items being sold MUST have a current test tag that is in date and if covered by the Plant Act a risk assessment or decommission report attached. The days of buyer-beware are gone. If a buyer buys an electrical item from you at an auction and they get a shock or killed by it, YOU the poultry club and its directors are legally liable. What covers you is having the correct paperwork - copies of signed risk assessments or decommission reports. and a note of the testy tag on your agency agreement. The fines are huge.
  These are only a few of the things that have to be done to avoid fines and legal action against the club and its directors. Contact you State body for more information or work cover in your state. We are all in this for our safety and enjoyment.
  
• Insurance does not cover your fines.

To show or sell our birds and meet like minded people.

It is NOW up to all clubs to realize that they NOW have a responsibility to all members and the general public who show or attend their sales/ shows to have a safe and compliant shed.

Nothing may happen until there is a misshap then the sky will fall in on us all.

Keep safe and enjoy your poultry club.
Auctioneer

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Breeder of pure bred poultry since 1977. seller of point of lay Isa brown pullets. *** Specialist poultry auctioneer.*** Have gavel will travel

Great information
Do you have links to websites for further information. Looking at making it a sticky so people will have the information available.

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Sebright Club of Australia
sebrights-au.webs.com

Terrific info and something that all clubs need to think about and act on.

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Cheerio, Rach
Blue Swedish Ducks

Thank you for the helpful information, Braham. Some of those items are easy to forget. It's a good reminder.

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Backyard Poultry Forum

Yes a good list and reminder, Auctioneer2.

I would suggest most poultry pavilions are the property of, and situated on Agricultural Show grounds. This however does not absolve the poultry clubs from ensuring that all OH & S issues are checked off. A check list covering all possible risky scenarios (trip hazards, electrical cords, etc) should be completed prior to any activity within a pavilion.

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denisL

The requirements of auction sales of electrical gear may vary from State to State.

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denisL

Whilst good practice is good practice and we all should strive for good practice and safe poultry sheds. The legal requirements (and consequences) are different if you are an organisation with any paid employees versus an entirely volunteer organisation, and as DenisL has said the owner of the shed may be an employer, hence the shed is a workplace and that employer has an obligation to the employees and volunteers that utilise that workplace. Not all states have adopted the National Work Health and Safety Act so state OH&S laws may apply but the National act has good definitions for a "volunteer association" vs a "person conducting a business or undertaking - PCBU". For more information see http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au. There are a range of ideas and checklists there to help (similar to the checklist DenisL has listed).

Safety should never be motivated by the fear of prosecution. So it is about the workplace health and safety rules (if they apply), volunteer safety and visitor/public safety and doing what is reasonable and practical to ensure these.

As far as i know Dennis it is a national thing mate. check with either consumer affairs or work cover in your state. Risk assesmants and or decommission reports arte a national thing enforced by each state work cover insectors. NSW was the last to come on line in 2000. . have a great auction in may Dennis and my best wishes to you all at longford. would like to be there but Mrs auctioneer is turning 50 and i have to be at home to make lunch for the family. a Lebanese BBQ.

cheers auctioneer

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Breeder of pure bred poultry since 1977. seller of point of lay Isa brown pullets. *** Specialist poultry auctioneer.*** Have gavel will travel

The National Company that conducts our Auctions advises that in Tasmania a Safety Warning with particular wording placed on the equipment is all that is required.

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denisL