Audit

Evidence for 2025 Health and Safety Audit

Actions Completed from 2024 Audit

• Developed Notifiable Incident Procedure

• Created Investigation Template and added explainer on Just Culture.

• Conducted Risk Assessment for Hazard Register

• Critical Risks added to induction

• Trained another first aider - Lukas.

• Developed a H&S compliance register - ongoing project. Dates to be added, and any further items to track.

Not fully actioned:

• Six monthly emergency drill - discussed Emergency Response Plans at meetings instead.

• Register of contractors - the Farm Safety Database is a register of farm safety systems which has been created for the contractors. This will develop with the contractors added as well.

Policy

Employer Commitment to Safety Management Practices 

• Written plan

• Plan contains H&S policy statement

• Plan is available online and URL is displayed on entrance signs.

• Plan covered at induction.

• Roles and responsibilities documented in policy, emergency response plans and job descriptions.

Incident and Injury Reporting, Recording and Investigation 

• Procedure documented and available

• Forms available 

• Evidence of recent reports [restricted file - request access from a Gmail account] - global database across several farms for information sharing.

• Evidence of investigations completed - none in new system yet, refer to old system.

• Evidence of actions implemented after incidents and documentation updated - integrated into the ongoing development of this system.

• Notification to Worksafe NZ documented and known by key staff, records on file. 

Hazard Identification Assessment and Management

• Procedure documented

• Report forms available

• Hazard map available and up to date 

• Hazard register for farm (separately for Dairy Shed, Workshop and machinery. 

• Evidence of staff input in Meeting Minutes [restricted file - request access from a Gmail account], now recorded on this system. 

• Hazardous subs register for Clydesdale and a global Safety Data Sheet library including all Clydesdale substances.

• Evidence of site inspection - chemical inventory dated 28th March 2023. 

• Plant maintenance & inspection records  available (by qualified & competent person) - SoP/ policy/ plan for high risk work e.g. heights, working alone, around water 

Emergency Planning and Readiness 

• Procedures documented and displayed on this website including wardens. 

• Evacuation drills conducted 6 monthly and recorded - to be done. 

• Fire warden training - Francois trained at Weston Fire Brigade session. 

• First aiders trained - Shelley and Johnny.

• Other emergency situations covered e.g. flood, storm, overdue worker after lone work 

Employee Participation in Health and Safety Management 

• Procedures documented and available in Meeting Minutes form 

• Participation covered at induction 

• Weekly team meetings - to be recorded inMeeting Minutes form

Information, Training and Supervision 

• Procedures documented for training [restricted file - request access from a Gmail account], and induction 

• Induction forms are not signed by both parties but they are emailed to the staff member who fills it out under supervision of their trainer so both parties retain a timestamped copy. 

• Training and Competency records first aid, tractor (driver licence), quad, Ag chemicals 

• Nominated in house trainers for high risk - managers conduct the training.

Visitor & Contractor Controls 

• Procedures documented and available at the top of Clydesdale Hazards 

• Evidence of contractor safety plans - management have verbal records of actively managing contractor safety standards. To be better systemised along with Contractor Induction.

• Contractor sign in for Clydesdale and McEwan - no records yet on new system utilising gate sign and website sign-in with SMS alerts to manager. Contractor induction to be systemised better.

• Evidence of contractor safety being reviewed/ observed - verbal account from manager.

• Visitor sign in on Clydesdale Hazards 

• Safety signage for visitors and contractors at the gate

• Induction and access to other properties (in place/ evident) - to be systemised.

Other policies

• Drug and alcohol policy - in policies and induction.

• Drug & Alcohol testing is not routinely carried out so can't be used as an employment tool but resulting behaviour can. The policy offers support and removes them from safety critical work.

• Lone work policy on Clydesdale Hazards: "Lone worker risk - always carry a cell phone. If you are going out of reception make sure someone knows you are there and when you are expecting to return. Texts can transmit on lower reception than voice if reception is poor. Managers are responsible for ensuring all staff are home at the end of the day". Also see Overdue Worker Policy.

• Reporting/ alarm process for lone workers: Overdue Worker Policy

• Violence/ bullying policy: covered in Policy: "Bullying is not tolerated. Management will minimise the likelihood of bullying at work occurring promoting good relationships, educating managers and employees to recognise what bullying is (and isn't), how to report it using the incident reporting form on this site, and following the Worksafe process when bullying is reported. The Code of Conduct makes it clear what behaviour is expected".

Physical Compliance

Emergency Preparedness and first aid 

• Evacuation method established and signage in place: see Assembly Area policy and General Emergency Management 

• Emergency Alarm System

• Assembly point identified.

• Fire exits clearly marked and unobstructed. 

• Fire Extinguishers charged, serviced and in place (cowshed, calf shed, tractor, houses).

• First aid kits available, and stocked.

• AED (defibrillator) provided at Craigmore Office.

Offices & Rest facilities 

• Trips/ slips/ surfaces covered by falls policy: 

"Falls - high injury risk. Use hand rails and provided steps. Never climb on top of vats or silos.

Concrete surfaces on the feed pad are often slippery.

Shed steps and surfaces become slippery from algae growth. Keep clean."

• • Toilets clean, hand soap/ cleaner, hand drying.

  • Adequate lighting and ventilation. 

  • Lunch/ Rest area available with sufficient seating.

  • Chemicals/ Flammables 

  • SDS (safety data sheet) available in online library. 

  • Hazardous Substances Register available online. 

  • Spillage kit available at the Woolshed chemical storage.

  • Appropriate PPE available and worn.

  • Storage secure for poisons/ Ag chemicals at the Woolshed.

  • Storage for flammable goods such as petrol and diesel in purpose built containers only.

  • Chemical handling on Chemicals  page.

  • Decanted chemicals labelled with Tag pen.

Quads/ Bikes/ Tractors/ Trailers/ Implements 

• General condition checked using Maintenance Recording. 

• Road registration as required (tractor if on road, not trailers). 

• WoF if applicable (not needed if speed<40kmh). 

• Service records as per invoicing.

• Regular inspection in place and recorded using Maintenance Recording. 

• PPE eg helmets available and worn, hearing protection on open cab tractor.

• ROPs on tractors and PTO guards.

• ROPs on quads. 

• Lights and beacons on vehicles. 

• Tractors have hazard panels if over 2.5m wide.

• Tractors have fire extinguishers.
  
  

Floors and walkways

• Clear of materials or equipment 

• Clean and free slippery materials 

• Well drained 

• General condition 

• Access and egress points clear 

PPE general 

• Safety footwear/ gumboots (available, condition and being used). 

• Helmets for work bikes/ quads (available and worn). 

• Hi viz not routinely used.

• Hearing protection available, worn and appropriate.

• Signage present (on high risk plant e.g. noise, guards). 

Stairs, ladder and platforms

• Serviceable and in good condition 

• Anti slip/ tread 

• Hand and mid rails 

• Platforms at height are safe.

Milking platform/ building

• Building condition 

• Lighting 

• Guards/ crush points controlled e.g. platform rollers, E stops 

• Isolation for maintenance 

• Kick rails 

• Ergonomics 

• Access/ egress 

Storage 

• Tidiness 

• Shelving/ racking adequate and fixed in place 

• Handling options for excessively heavy items - front end loader.

• Chemicals - refer above. 

Electrical 

• General repair of leads/ electrical equipment by registered electrical workers only.

• Locked main distribution board. 

• Plugs and sockets good condition.

• Leads run safe.

• RCD in place for leads. 

• Test and tag completed by Calect Electrical.

Animal handling/ yards/ calf shed 

• Post and rails condition. 

• Gates condition and swing/ latch.

• Drainage. 

• Ground condition/ bedding.

• Auto gate controls and safety. 

• Platforms and rails for AI/ access. 

Confined space/ silos/ vats/ heights 

• Signage 

• Policy/ induction/ training - heights and confined spaces are to be accessed by a contractor with training, or by Fonterra who own the vats.

• Falls prevention for access to pivot/ silage trailers - cage for pivot (must be attached to tractor, not sitting on forks where it could slide off), and silage trailers accessed from front and rear access points.

• Equipment provided if needed.

• Ladders avoided where proper equipment can access.

Waterways, effluent, ponds 

• Inductions cover risk/ policy: 

"Waterways - various ponds, drains and waterways with soft bottoms present a high drowning risk, as does the Waiareka stream. Children under the age of eight are to be supervised directly by someone over the age of sixteen.

Flooding occurs on Clydesdale. Stay out of flood waters unless it is more hazardous to remain in place. Human safety takes precedent over stock welfare so ensure stock are prepared on high ground ahead of time to prevent the motivation for people to enter flood waters. Use high roads to town if travel is necessary."

• Alone access managed with buddy system if working at the edge of the pond itself. Pump shed can be worked at without a buddy.

• PPE in place e.g. life jackets or life rings inside gate for pond access.

• Fenced.

• Signage to be installed.

Hygiene/ Zoonose control 

• Education/ info on zoonotics. 

• Handwashing facilities. 

• Sanitiser/soap.

• PPE available e.g. gloves.

Miscellaneous 

• Firearm control: no firearms stored on site, at private homes only. 

• Firearm licence required to operate firearms but only need in-house training to operate bolt gun.

• On occasions where a firearm is needed to euthanise an animal only the manager or licensed staff under managers direction are to use firearms.

• Hunting is allowed only with managers knowledge and permission.

• Policy on Clydesdale Hazards : 

"Fire arms - high shooting risk. Follow seven rules of firearm safety. Only licensed shooters with permission to operate firearms and trained operators to use bolt gun."