PROPERTY Wimpole Estate LOCATION Home Farm REF NO. Farm VE1 DEPARTMENT Home Farm HEAD OF DEPT. Richard Morris (Farm) Rebecca Evans (VE) DATE 27/5/2015 ACTIVITY Education & Learning visits to Home farm Description of activity: Organised educational groups visiting Home Farm; incorporating directed and self-directed activities. Nature of hazard Infection risk of e-coli, cryptosporidium and other infections from ingesting bacteria picked up from touching animals, gates, fences and pens. Sheep unit- additional hazard for pregnant women- risk of infection at lambing time from enzootic abortion in sheep. Groups at risk All visitors especially children under 7 and pregnant women. Staff, volunteers & contractors Current precautions Estimation of risk Potential additional precautions School staff required to brief children and their carers before the visit using Health and Safety advice for groups visiting the Farm. This sheet also contains advice on hand washing and a code of behaviour while on the farm. School staff required to return a signed sheet confirming that they have received and understood the information. School adults required to supervise children particularly during hand washing and to ensure that children avoid hand to mouth contact until this is done. Warning to pregnant women and their families that they should not touch the sheep and lambs. Wherever possible they should avoid handling clothing, boots etc that have come into contact with ewes or lambs, or if they must, (High in vulnerable people) if advice followed Procedures reviewed/refreshed on a continual basis Operational Risk March 2013 page 1 of 1
wear rubber gloves. Hand washing facilities with warm water and soap are available at 5 sites on the farm. Reminder notices on how to wash hands at sinks and half hourly PA announcements reminding of the importance of hand washing. Responsibility for controls: School adults to supervise pupils at all times, ensuring proper hand washing, enforcing the no food or drink policy in prescribed areas During directed sessions Estate Staff/volunteers to re-iterate hand washing advice. Where animal contact is part of the activity, hand washing takes place immediately after the event. Wimpole staff to send relevant information sheet and to ensure that the confirmation of its receipt is received. Physical injury through animal contact (bite, scratch) or other injury. Visitors, staff and volunteers Children should be supervised by school staff/carers at all times around animals. Directed activities involving animals are overseen by competent National Trust staff and/or volunteers. The instructions of Trust staff/volunteers should be followed at all times. if advice followed Operational Risk March 2013 page 2 of 1
Display bee hive area: Stings, normally giving rise to pain, itching and swelling in the vicinity of the site of the sting. More severe reactions may occur in some individuals. Observation hive has been designed and made to specifications of experienced BBKA and CBKA member with experience of displaying bees. Indoor part of hive will be sealed (entrance screwed shut) and screwed to the table which in turn is screwed to the wall. The bees will be able to enter and leave the hive by way of a tube which exits the building at a level of more than 8 feet, through a little wooden entrance/exit. Property staff and volunteers to be familiar with hazards of bee stings and First Aid arrangements. Procedures annually reviewed/refreshed If appropriate, advise bee keepers prior to work being undertaken in the vicinity of hives so that arrangements can be made for the bees to be shut in the hives on the day during which work is to be undertaken. Severity of hazard : Low Staff to have access to telephone number of bee keeper and other relevant staff. Notice in room with the following messages Please do not to touch the hive as this disturbs the bees If bees are upset they can be dangerous. The bees should be entering and leaving their hive through the little door which is high up Operational Risk March 2013 page 3 of 1
and outside. In case of problems please move away quietly and inform a member of staff. The bee keeper should time manipulations of the hive so that these will occur when there are no visitors, staff, volunteers or contractors nearby. As far as possible, the bee keeper should ensure that hives are populated with a docile strain of bees. Place warning notices near to the display hive building. Bee hive condition and bees to be checked twice daily as part of farm routine when opening and closing the farm for the public. In case of increased bee activity or swarming, the entire area is barriered off, and signage displayed. Several staff have received instruction from bee keepers when working with and alongside them. Several staff members have attended an introduction to bee keeping course. In case of stings, an estate first aider can be summoned. Current first aid for stings is limited to removal of stinger (if possible) and the application of a cold compress to ease pain/swelling. Medical attention should be sought Operational Risk March 2013 page 4 of 1
immediately if symptoms of stings are more severe than localised pain, itching or swelling, e.g. dizziness, difficulty in breathing, swelling of the tongue, swollen eyes or eye lids, unconsciousness. Allergy to wasps, bees, pollen, dust, milk, nuts etc. Visitors, staff, volunteers & contractors Schools asked in the Health and Safety advice for groups visiting the Farm document to check prior to arrival on any relevant allergies that may be affected by farm visit so that appropriate precautions can be taken. Estate first aider on site in case of severe reaction. Estate staff available to call for first aid or emergency services as needed. if advice followed School staff responsible for ensuring emergency medication available for children with known allergies. Trips, slips and falls Visitors, staff, volunteers & contractors Students to be well supervised when moving around the estate Students to be briefed on behaviour before visit to estate, advice to teachers sheet referred to above. Qualified first aiders are available on site. if advice followed Any accident or near miss to be reported Operational Risk March 2013 page 5 of 1
to a member of staff. Fire or occurrence requiring emergency evacuation All visitors and staff Estate staff/volunteers to know procedures for emergency evacuation of the farm. Assembly point is the picnic area. Procedures annually reviewed/refreshed. Estate staff/volunteers to be aware of location of fire alarms and extinguishers. Fire precautions and first aid advice displayed on education notice boards. Fire extinguishers available in education building and other main buildings throughout the farm. Electrical equipment undergoes annual safety check. Child protection: Staff/Volunteers working with education groups Children, vulnerable adults, staff & volunteers All children to be accompanied at all times by an adult with the school party. National Trust staff and volunteers never to be in a 1:1 situation with a child Procedures annually reviewed/refreshed. All new staff/volunteers are risk assessed to determine whether a DBS check is required for their role. All volunteers applying to work with school groups interviewed by Farm Experience Officers and references taken up. Operational Risk March 2013 page 6 of 1
Estate procedures for lost/missing child in place, overseen by the Duty Manager. Trees- Injury or death caused by falling branches and trees. Risk in windy or dry conditions. Visitors, staff, volunteers & contractors All education staff/volunteers issued with a copy of the Trust s leaflet Safe and sound and other relevant health and safety information. Condition of trees regularly assessed especially in areas of high public use. Wooded areas to be avoided in very windy weather. In severe conditions the Estate is closed. Severity of hazard : High Use of milking rig (visitors milk teat buckets containing water). Bumps, cuts by buckets or wood. Infection/illness through child drinking water from bucket or from rubber teat or allergic reaction to latex teat. Visitors The milking rig is regularly checked and maintained to check the condition and cleanliness of its elements. Parental/carer/school staff supervision of all children on the Farm. Milking rig has been designed with a wide base and long legs to reduce the risk of anyone pulling it over. Severity of hazard : Low Operational Risk March 2013 page 7 of 1
Use of milling quern: Grazes, bruises and crush injuries. Clothing or jewellery being caught in quern leading to injury. Those using the device & those in vicinity Parental/carer/school staff supervision of all children on the Farm. Only wooden part of handle to be held, so that fingers not pinched between this and metal handle. Quern handle not to be turned too fast which could lead to instability of table. Severity of hazard : Low Refresh quern interpretation in line with estate identity work. Illness due to consumption of butter during a butter making directed activity. People participating in activity Quern checked daily pre-opening for proper functionality Staff/volunteers leading activity to stress to participants that the butter produced in the farm dairy is not fit for human consumption, as it is not produced in hygienic conditions. Severity of hazard : Low Procedures annually reviewed/refreshed. Assessment carried out by Tim Casey Date of previous assessment 27/05/2015 Job title Farm Experience Officer Date of this assessment 17/02/2016 Signed T Casey Next assessment before August 2016 Operational Risk March 2013 page 8 of 1