Reminder for farmers to keep visitors safe this summer

Britain’s workplace regulator, is calling on farmers to do all they can to make sure those visiting their farms are kept safe and healthy.

It is the time of year when some farmers consider hosting “open farm” events, perhaps as part of Open Farm Sunday, happening on Sunday 9 June 2024. Open farm events allow members of the public to visit participating farms and witness farming first hand.

Both visitors and farmers can find these open days informative, engaging and rewarding, however farmers also have a legal duty to make sure visitors are kept safe and well.

As well as safety risks from things such as moving vehicles and animals, there are also potential health risks that the farmers will need to control such as diseases or bugs carried by animals.

Key components of a well-managed open farm event include:
Making sure the event is risk assessed and well planned.
Ensuring that the farm and farm staff understand the risks on site, including zoonotic risk (i.e. risks from diseases or bugs carried by animals).
Providing visitors with enough information on the risks and the controls in place (e.g. the importance of properly washing hands after touching animals, before eating or drinking, and before leaving site).
Controlling visitor access to animals.
Supervising visitor contact with animals. Providing separate clean areas for petting of animals. Preventing visitors going into the pens with animals.
Providing suitable facilities for washing hands (normally this will be hot and cold water, liquid soap and paper towels) and directing visitors to use them after petting animals, before eating food, before and after using any play equipment, and before leaving site.
Hand washing gels are not an acceptable substitute for washing facilities.
If visitors are allowed to consume food or drink on site, providing separate clean eating areas, near hand washing facilities.
Good prominent signage on site giving important information to visitors (but don’t rely on signage alone to give those important messages).
Ensuring that visitors are not exposed to other risks on the farm e.g. by fencing off high risk areas or activities and keeping people away from traffic routes and moving vehicles.

By following these principles farms can hold safe and enjoyable open farm events.

To read the full HSE press release click here