Safety Policies

Do your staff use vehicles to attend to farm or home visits, or do the banking? What safety features should the vehicle have, and what to look for when purchasing a new one to maximise driver safety? What safety equipment should you put in the work vehicles? What about long trips or if an accident happens?

What are some of the drugs that may be used or abused (including vet prescription drugs and S8s)?, why might this happen and what we can do about it; education for everyone on what drug and alcohol misuse or abuse might mean for team safety and what to do if this is occurring

How do we work safely with electrocautery during surgery? What can go wrong? What about the smoke they generate, is it safe?

How do we work safely with electrical currents during surgery? Includes correct set up and situations to avoid, as well as tips on keeping safe from the smoke generated.

Working in this environment brings unique hazards, learn what they are and how to reduce the risk to the ECC team

If you use ethylene oxide to sterilise surgical equipment, what special safety measures need to be taken? What happens if something goes wrong? How do we protect ourselves against exposure to ethylene oxide?

What to do in an emergency? How do we care for the animals during an evacuation? Who’s in charge during a veterinary emergency or evacuation? What might necessitate an evacuation?

This can be a workplace health and safety issue, and one that needs to be addressed. Covers how to keep staff safe.

What is fatigue, and is it the same as feeling tired? How does it link to burnout? What can employers do to reduce the risk of fatigue and burnout and what can staff do to help themselves?

What can cause a fire in a vet clinic? What equipment do we need and how do we maintain it? How do we get animals, clients and staff out safely in the event of a fire?

Do your staff need to access a firearm or captive bolt to humanely euthanise an animal? In addition to the appropriate license, what training do you need to give them? What if clients are present?

Covers the important aspects of radiation safety that apply to fluorscopic procedures, particularly staff actions to take prior to the procedure starting and how to minimise the radiation used for the procedure.

Covers the safe way to handle and work with goats, what can go wrong and what zoonotic diseases are of concern.

How to handle wet and slippery patients without risking a musculoskeletal disease (MSD) injury? What about hot air blowers and dryers – what can go wrong?

What areas or situations are most dangerous when working with horses and how do we remain in control of safety? How to examine horses with safety in mind as well as move them around the clinic? What facilities are needed to maximise staff safety?

How to handle wet and slippery patients without risking a musculoskeletal disease (MSD) injury, how to mix water and electricity safely, how to keep clients safe if they use a hydrobath at your clinic

How can we best support team members in meaningful ways, what support ideas are there and how we apply strategies to get the best out of the team?

What are the risks of using lasers and how can we work better, in order to keep everyone safe? What to wear when using a laser, what does the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) say?

Covers the situations where things might go wrong, when working with liquid nitrogen and how to manage this hazard in clinic.