The National Association of Agricultural Contractors has provided a checklist for both contractors and farmers to help them stay safe when shearing sheep.
The checklist includes recommendations for both parties on how to maintain social distancing, provide a clean and safe work environment and carry out the task in a safe manner.
The checklist of actions for both shearing contractor and farmer are as follows:
General
- No personnel must be present at shearing if showing symptoms of Coronavirus and must follow guidance on self-isolating;
- Ensure all personnel can maintain a minimum of 2m separation;
- Hand-washing facilities should be available for everyone to wash hands with soap and water regularly for a minimum of 20 seconds. If handwashing facilities are not available, wipe off any visible dirt and then use hand sanitiser;
- As a minimum, shearers must wash hands before leaving home, after each farm shearing, at the end of each shearing run before eating/drinking and on arrival back home;
- Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth with dirty hands, before washing (including if wearing gloves);
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze – ensure all staff are aware – put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands immediately afterwards;
- Where possible, shearers should travel to jobs in their own vehicle. Extra vehicles may be necessary. If not possible, maintain a 2m separation and keep the window open for ventilation and be careful not to touch your face;
- On leaving the cab, you must wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or more or use hand sanitiser when you cannot wash your hands;
- If shearers are being accommodated, ensure that you can comply with social distancing. Please refer to AHDB guidance for information;
- Do not allow any visitors, including children, where shearing is taking place – put up warning notices at entrances;
- Communicate with shearers and farmers remotely to avoid direct contact.
Machinery and equipment
- Keep to one-shearer-one machine. Each shearer must be responsible for their own kit (e.g. putting up and taking down their machine and dropper) and cleaning;
- Clean vehicle cabs thoroughly after use by each member of staff using disinfectant e.g. door handles, steering wheel and all areas likely to have been handled;
- Clean vehicle cabs thoroughly after work and in the morning using disinfectant e.g. door handles, steering wheel and all areas likely to have been handled;
- Wash hands regularly after touching ‘shared’ equipment (e.g. when setting up trailer);
- Only individual shearers to handle their own shearing kit and only farmers to handle their hurdles/on-farm equipment.
Before visiting farms
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- Have a telephone or email conversation between contractor and farmer to agree how the shearing will operate. Confirm details on the day of shearing to check if anyone’s health has changed. Agree:
- That no-one will come into contact with anyone who is self-isolating;
- There will be no direct contact between shearers and farm personnel, unless necessary to work safely. Agree that everyone will remain at least 2m apart;
- Ensure that hand-washing facilities are available – or equip personnel with wipes and hand sanitiser (agree beforehand who will provide facilities);
- Plan of work – discuss how sheep will be moved and how social distancing can be maintained;
- Assume that all surfaces could be contaminated and try and keep separate work areas for contractors and shearers;
- Ensure that facilities will be available for hand-washing and disinfecting machinery and staff before they leave the farm;
- Farmer will disinfect all necessary work areas before shearers arrive.
On-farm and shearing
- Keep everyone at least 2m apart:
- Consider making a temporarily partition between stands or not using all available stands;
- Shearers should avoid entering pens at the same time;
- This includes shearers and farm personnel who may be moving sheep – remember you can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.
- Stay a minimum of 2m apart – including in races, shearing pens and during breaks;
- Following shearing, kick wool off the board to maintain a minimum 2m distance for the wool wrapper at all times or consider using a ‘broom’ to pull the wool off the boards;
- Disinfect shearing equipment between each farm and retain one set of equipment for each shearer;
- Change clothing and moccasins before moving to the next farm; bag clothes at each site and wash before wearing again;
- Wash hands for 20 seconds before leaving the farm.
Farmer’s Responsibilities
- Liaise with your shearer (see above) and work in partnership to protect everyone’s health;
- Ensure you, your staff and shearers remain at least 2m apart at all times;
- Provide hand-washing facilities where possible, otherwise provide hand sanitiser;
- Please be ready and prepared for your shearer’s visit. The industry will be under additional pressure this year and it will be important to have well-presented sheep ready to be shorn when the team arrives. Please follow best practice including:
- Well-designed handling system;
- Take appropriate measures to ensure sheep presented for shearing;
- Do not have full stomachs, by yarding appropriately without food or water ahead of shearing;
- No wet sheep, no dags;
- Do not combine drenching, parasite control, or other procedures at the same time as shearing;
- Provide a safe, level, dry area for shearing.
- Disinfect the work area and surfaces before shearers arrive;
- Do not allow any visitors, including children, where shearing is taking place – put up warning notices at entrances;
- Ensure personnel remain at least 2m apart even in raceways and loading the shearing trailer. Allow shearers to move away before approaching the trailer.