Veterinary Safety SWMS

Product Overview

This SWMS covers veterinary work from planning and animal reception through treatment, specialist activities, waste disposal and sign-off. It supports planning and risk management for animal behaviour, exposure, sharps, medicines, equipment, contamination and emergency response.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes task-specific risk controls for:

• Plan veterinary work around animal behaviour, staffing, treatment and emergencies
• Set up work areas to manage slips, access, exits and contamination
• Receive and segregate animals while managing escape, bites, scratches and client interaction
• Carry out routine health checks while managing sudden movement, sharps and body fluids
• Inspect and treat disease while managing pathogens, aerosols, reactions and contaminated instruments
• Administer medicines and injections while managing needlesticks, movement and dosing risks
• Handle cytotoxic drugs and associated waste, spills and surface contamination
• Carry out radiography and radioactive work while managing beam areas, restraint and equipment faults
• Perform equine dentistry while managing movement, kick and crush risks, aerosols and equipment
• Use tranquilliser guns while managing projectiles, misfires, animal response and drug exposure
• Carry out veterinary rehabilitation while managing support, water, equipment and animal movement
• Dispose of waste and sharps, then clean up and complete sign-off

Who is this for?

Suitable for veterinary workers, supervisors and businesses carrying out animal care, treatment and related support activities.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

The template includes references relevant to the documented work, including:

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth model) ss 19, 28, 46-49
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 Part 3.1 Managing risks to health and safety
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 Chapter 4 Hazardous chemicals
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 Part 4.2 Hazardous manual tasks
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 Part 4.5 Noise
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 Chapter 5 Plant and structures
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 ss 43-44 Duty to prepare, maintain and implement emergency plan
• Code of Practice: Managing the risks of biological hazards at work
• Code of Practice: Healthcare and social assistance industry - cytotoxic drugs and related waste guidance
• Model Code of Practice: Healthcare and social assistance industry - cytotoxic risk management
• Code of Practice: Safe use and storage of agricultural and veterinary chemicals
• Code of Practice: Managing the risks of plant in the workplace
• Code of Practice: Managing electrical risks in the workplace
• Horse riding schools, trail riding and horse riding establishments - Code of Practice 2002, infection control and sick horse isolation guidance

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Standard SWMS Features (Click to Expand)

• Task-specific job steps, hazards and control measures
• Initial and residual risk ratings
• Assigned responsible persons for each job step
• Plant, equipment and PPE requirements where applicable
• Permits, qualifications and high-risk construction work details where applicable
• Worker consultation, sign-off and review sections