Product Overview

Summary: This Livestock Handling Safe Operating Procedure sets out safe, low‑stress methods for working with cattle, sheep and other farm animals in Australian conditions. It helps you control key WHS risks, protect animal welfare, and create consistent handling practices that keep workers, contractors and visitors safe around yards, races, crushes and loading ramps.

Livestock handling is one of the highest‑risk activities on Australian farms, with animal kicks, crush injuries, needlestick incidents and vehicle interactions causing a significant proportion of serious harm. This Livestock Handling Safe Operating Procedure provides a clear, step‑by‑step framework for planning and carrying out livestock work safely, from moving stock in paddocks through to drafting, treatment, loading and unloading. It emphasises low‑stress stock handling principles, appropriate use of yards and handling equipment, and structured communication between workers so that everyone on site understands what is happening and where they should be.

The procedure is designed to help agricultural businesses meet their WHS duties while improving productivity and animal welfare. It sets out practical controls for high‑risk tasks such as working in crushes and races, handling breeding animals and bulls, using horses, bikes and side‑by‑sides around stock, and administering injections and drenches. By implementing this SOP, you provide workers and contractors with a consistent, defensible way of working that reduces incidents, supports training of new staff, and demonstrates due diligence to regulators, insurers and supply chain partners concerned with ethical and safe livestock production.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of serious injuries from kicks, crushes, knocks and needlestick incidents when handling livestock.
• Ensure consistent, low‑stress handling practices that support both worker safety and animal welfare expectations.
• Standardise training for new and seasonal workers, including backpackers and contractors with varying experience levels.
• Demonstrate compliance with Australian WHS legislation and animal welfare requirements to regulators and auditors.
• Improve efficiency and reduce downtime by clearly defining safe equipment use, communication signals and work sequences.

Who is this for?

• Farm Owners and Managers
• Station Managers
• Livestock Supervisors
• Stockpersons and Stockhands
• Yard and Feedlot Operators
• Shearers and Shearing Contractors
• Rural Operations Trainers and Assessors
• WHS Advisors in Agriculture
• Agribusiness and Pastoral Company Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Kicks, butts and crushing injuries from cattle, sheep and other livestock
• Pinch, crush and entrapment hazards in yards, races, crushes and loading ramps
• Manual handling strains and sprains from lifting, restraining or dragging animals and equipment
• Needlestick and chemical exposure during vaccination, drenching and other treatments
• Slips, trips and falls on wet, uneven or contaminated yard surfaces
• Vehicle and plant interactions with livestock (utes, motorbikes, quad bikes, side‑by‑sides, loaders)
• Horse‑related injuries when mustering or moving stock
• Noise, dust and biosecurity risks in high‑density livestock areas
• Aggressive behaviour from breeding animals, bulls, rams and protective mothers
• Fatigue and heat stress during prolonged handling or mustering in hot conditions

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Types of Livestock Covered
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 4.0 Planning Livestock Handling Activities and Pre‑start Checks
• 5.0 Required PPE and Suitable Clothing
• 6.0 Livestock Behaviour, Flight Zones and Low‑Stress Handling Principles
• 7.0 Safe Use of Yards, Races, Crushes and Loading Ramps
• 8.0 Procedures for Moving and Drafting Livestock
• 9.0 Safe Restraint, Inspection, Vaccination and Treatment of Animals
• 10.0 Working with High‑Risk Animals (Bulls, Rams, Cows with Calves, Injured or Aggressive Stock)
• 11.0 Use of Vehicles, Horses and Motorbikes Around Livestock
• 12.0 Manual Handling Controls in Livestock Operations
• 13.0 Biosecurity, Hygiene and Zoonotic Disease Controls
• 14.0 Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control Measures
• 15.0 Emergency Procedures (Escape, Crush Injury, Needlestick, Animal Escape)
• 16.0 Incident Reporting, Investigation and Corrective Actions
• 17.0 Training, Induction and Competency Verification
• 18.0 Inspection, Maintenance and Housekeeping for Yards and Equipment
• 19.0 Review, Consultation and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth and relevant state/territory variants)
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth and relevant state/territory variants)
• Safe Work Australia – Guide to Managing Risks in Cattle Handling
• Safe Work Australia – National Guide for Safe Handling of Livestock (where applicable or state‑based equivalents)
• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Cattle / Sheep (or relevant state animal welfare standards and guidelines)
• AS/NZS 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use
• AS/NZS 2210.1:2010 Safety, protective and occupational footwear – Specification
• AS/NZS 1337.1:2010 Personal eye protection
• AS/NZS 2161.1:2020 Occupational protective gloves – Selection, use and maintenance