Product Overview

Summary: This Wildlife Interaction Safe Operating Procedure provides clear, practical guidance for safely managing encounters with native and feral animals in Australian workplaces. It helps protect workers, visitors, and wildlife while ensuring compliance with WHS duties and environmental obligations across outdoor, remote, and regional operations.

Many Australian workplaces operate in environments where encounters with snakes, spiders, kangaroos, feral animals, and protected wildlife are routine rather than rare. Without a structured approach, these interactions can lead to serious injuries, vehicle incidents, project delays, reputational damage, and breaches of environmental and wildlife protection laws. This Wildlife Interaction Safe Operating Procedure sets out a clear, step-by-step framework for preventing, assessing, and safely managing wildlife encounters before, during, and after work activities.

The procedure defines how to plan work in wildlife-prone areas, conduct pre-start checks, brief workers, and respond appropriately to different animal behaviours and risk levels. It covers interaction protocols for common Australian species, safe driving in wildlife corridors, remote and lone work considerations, and what to do in the event of bites, stings, or aggressive behaviour. By implementing this SOP, businesses establish a consistent, defensible process that supports WHS compliance, minimises disruption to operations, and demonstrates due care for native fauna and their habitats.

This document is particularly valuable for organisations whose teams work outdoors, in regional or remote locations, or near conservation areas, waterways, farms, or bushland. It helps integrate wildlife risk management into existing WHS systems, contractor management, and induction processes, ensuring workers understand not only how to keep themselves safe, but also their obligations under environmental and wildlife legislation.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of injury from wildlife encounters, including bites, stings, kicks, and vehicle-wildlife collisions.
• Ensure compliance with WHS duties and key environmental and wildlife protection requirements across Australian jurisdictions.
• Standardise how workers, contractors, and visitors are briefed and trained to respond to wildlife in and around work sites.
• Minimise work disruption and project delays caused by unmanaged wildlife interactions or site shutdowns.
• Demonstrate due diligence to regulators, clients, and community stakeholders regarding the protection of native fauna.

Who is this for?

• Site Supervisors
• Field Workers
• Rangers and Land Management Officers
• Environmental Advisors
• Construction Project Managers
• Farm and Station Managers
• Utility and Infrastructure Maintenance Crews
• Mining and Resources HSE Managers
• Parks and Recreation Managers
• Event Organisers for Outdoor Venues

Hazards Addressed

• Snake bites and venomous spider bites
• Bites, scratches, or kicks from kangaroos, feral animals, and distressed wildlife
• Allergic reactions and anaphylaxis from bites, stings, or insect swarms
• Vehicle collisions with wildlife, particularly at dawn, dusk, and night
• Zoonotic diseases transmitted from animals to humans
• Aggressive behaviour from territorial birds or animals protecting young
• Slips, trips, and falls while attempting to avoid or move away from wildlife
• Psychological stress or anxiety related to remote work and wildlife risks
• Uncontrolled handling or relocation of injured or trapped wildlife
• Environmental damage and legal non-compliance from disturbing protected species or habitats

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Common Wildlife Risks
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities
• 4.0 Planning Work in Wildlife-Prone Areas
• 5.0 Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment for Wildlife Encounters
• 6.0 Control Measures and Site Preparation (Signage, Housekeeping, Exclusion Zones)
• 7.0 Wildlife Interaction Protocols by Species and Scenario
• 8.0 Vehicle Operation and Driving in Wildlife Corridors
• 9.0 Remote, Isolated and After-Hours Work Considerations
• 10.0 Prohibited Actions (Feeding, Harassing, Handling Wildlife)
• 11.0 Incident Response: Bites, Stings, Aggressive Behaviour and Near Misses
• 12.0 First Aid and Emergency Procedures for Wildlife-Related Injuries
• 13.0 Communication, Induction and Training Requirements
• 14.0 Coordination with Wildlife Rescue and Environmental Authorities
• 15.0 Reporting, Recordkeeping and Regulatory Notification
• 16.0 Review, Audit and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS legislation
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and equivalent state and territory regulations
• Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks
• Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: First Aid in the Workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Guide for Managing the Risks of Working in Remote or Isolated Work
• AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems
• Relevant state and territory wildlife, biodiversity and animal welfare legislation (e.g. National Parks and Wildlife Acts, Biodiversity Conservation Acts)