Product Overview

Summary: This Urban Wildlife Consideration Safe Operating Procedure provides a clear, practical framework for safely managing interactions with native animals in and around Australian workplaces. It helps organisations protect workers, the public, and local ecosystems while meeting WHS and environmental obligations during day‑to‑day operations and project work.

Australian workplaces increasingly operate in or adjacent to urban habitats used by native wildlife such as possums, birds, bats, reptiles and protected species. Construction, maintenance, landscaping, waste management and after‑hours operations can all disturb these animals, creating safety risks for workers and the public as well as potential breaches of environmental and wildlife legislation. This Urban Wildlife Consideration SOP sets out a structured approach to planning, conducting and reviewing work where wildlife may be present, ensuring that hazards are identified early and managed in a consistent, defensible way.

The procedure guides organisations through practical steps including pre‑work site assessments, communication with local authorities or wildlife carers, safe distances and exclusion zones, appropriate handling protocols (including when not to handle wildlife), and incident response for bites, scratches or vehicle strikes. It helps you balance operational needs with animal welfare, reduce the likelihood of aggressive animal behaviour, manage biosecurity concerns (such as zoonotic disease risks from bats or birds), and avoid reputational damage from poorly managed wildlife encounters. Implementing this SOP supports compliance with Australian WHS laws and environmental protections while demonstrating due diligence and corporate responsibility in urban environments.

Key Benefits

• Ensure consistent, legally defensible management of urban wildlife interactions across all sites and projects.
• Reduce the risk of worker injury from bites, scratches, stings and aggressive animal behaviour.
• Minimise disruption and delays to works caused by unexpected wildlife encounters or regulatory intervention.
• Support compliance with WHS duties and relevant environmental and wildlife protection legislation.
• Strengthen your organisation’s reputation by demonstrating responsible treatment of native wildlife in urban settings.

Who is this for?

• WHS Managers
• Site Supervisors
• Facilities Managers
• Construction Project Managers
• Parks and Gardens Team Leaders
• Local Government Asset Managers
• Environmental Advisors
• Utilities and Infrastructure Supervisors
• Event Operations Managers
• Security and Concierge Teams

Hazards Addressed

• Bites and scratches from possums, bats, birds, reptiles and other urban wildlife
• Exposure to zoonotic diseases (e.g. Australian bat lyssavirus, leptospirosis, psittacosis)
• Allergic reactions to insect stings or animal dander
• Aggressive behaviour of nesting birds or territorial animals towards workers or the public
• Slips, trips and falls while attempting to avoid or move wildlife during work tasks
• Vehicle strikes involving wildlife in car parks, access roads or during night operations
• Manual handling risks associated with moving equipment or waste contaminated by wildlife
• Psychosocial stress for workers repeatedly exposed to distressed or injured animals

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Types of Urban Wildlife
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Consultation Requirements
• 4.0 Planning Work in Areas with Known Wildlife Activity
• 5.0 Site Assessment and Wildlife Hazard Identification
• 6.0 Risk Assessment and Control Measures for Wildlife Interactions
• 7.0 Safe Work Practices Around Urban Wildlife (Do’s and Don’ts)
• 8.0 Communication with Regulators, Wildlife Carers and the Community
• 9.0 Personal Protective Equipment and Hygiene Requirements
• 10.0 Procedures for Injured, Distressed or Dangerous Wildlife
• 11.0 Incident, Bite and Scratch Response (First Aid and Reporting)
• 12.0 Vehicle and Mobile Plant Operations in Wildlife‑Prone Areas
• 13.0 Training, Induction and Competency Requirements
• 14.0 Recordkeeping, Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
• 15.0 References, Related Documents and Legislative Requirements

Legislation & References

• Model Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Acts
• Model Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Regulations
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: First Aid in the Workplace
• AS/NZS ISO 14001: Environmental management systems – Requirements with guidance for use
• Local state and territory wildlife and biodiversity conservation legislation (e.g. NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, QLD Nature Conservation Act 1992)
• Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) – where matters of national environmental significance may be affected