There are many different types of hazards and risks associated with the animal care industry. The severity of the hazard or risk can also change depending on the specific circumstances. In addition to hazards that come from animals, there are also environmental and resource hazards and risks associated with the animal care sector.
Before we explore this in this section of the module, let's recap on what is a hazard.
Environmental and resource hazards in working with animals refer to the risks that arise from the surroundings and the resources used in animal care and management. These hazards can affect both the animals and the people who work with them, and they include issues related to the environment, the availability and quality of resources, and the sustainability of practices.
Watch
The next couple of videos give a quick refresher on what a hazard is and what the difference is between a risk and a hazard.
The following table illustrates some examples of environmental hazards, their causes and associated risks that may be present in an animal care facility. Some suggestions as to how to reduce or eliminate the hazards are also provided.
Environmental hazard | Causes | Risks | How to reduce the risk or hazard |
---|---|---|---|
Air pollution / Poor air quality |
|
|
|
Biohazards |
|
|
|
Dust |
|
|
|
Animal Waste | Urine, faeces, and other bodily waste from animals.
|
|
|
Animal- Deceased |
|
|
|
Examples of Resource Hazards
Resource hazard | Causes | Risks | How to reduce the risk or hazard |
---|---|---|---|
Chemicals (including fumes) | Inappropriate use and disposal of animal treatment products, cleaning agents and other chemicals. | Accidental exposure to humans and or animals could result in:
|
|
Noise |
|
|
|
Animal Bites and Scratches |
|
|
|
Lifting/ Handling heavy items |
|
|
|
Escape or Animal Handling Failure |
|
|
|
Safe use of chemicals and cleaning agents is an essential element of an environmentally sustainable workplace as well as part of an effective occupational health and safety program within any organisation.
Each state or territory has a code of practice for the safe storage, handling, use and disposal of chemicals in the workplace. You must follow those guidelines. Correct procedures in controlling exposure to chemical agents will require careful hazard recognition and risk assessment to reduce or eliminate any risk of unnecessary exposure.
Many hazardous chemicals, medications and cleaning agents are used in animal handling practices. Various physical consequences result from misuse or overuse of these hazardous substances. The following table outlines some common hazardous products in animal care workplaces and the consequences that may result from their misuse or overuse.
Type of hazardous substance | Explanation | Outcomes of misuse or overuse |
---|---|---|
Animal medications and anaesthetics | Handling animal medications, especially those administered via injection, can pose risks such as needle-stick injuries, accidental exposure to drugs, or allergic reactions to certain substances. |
|
Cleaning products including:
|
Regular use of cleaning products, disinfectants, or pesticides around animals can expose workers to harmful chemicals. Inhalation or skin contact with these substances can cause respiratory issues, burns, or long-term health problems. |
|
Failure to comply with the correct handling techniques can lead to long-term exposure. Some of these chemicals, if you are exposed to long-term, can have serious effects, such as cancers, due to carcinogenic factors.
All organisations must carry Safety Data Sheets (SDS). SDS are documents that are provided by manufacturers, which:
- provide information about the health and safety concerns for the products
- identify any substances or chemicals that are classified as hazardous substances or dangerous goods
- describe the specific properties of the chemicals and how they may affect the health of people using them.
Explore
For more information on Safety Data Sheets, click on the links below:
All chemicals and cleaning agents must be stored and labelled as per the state or territory's legislation and guidelines. For example, some several drugs and medications must be kept in a locked container at a veterinary clinic and may only be issued by a prescribed person, in this case, the veterinarian or vet nurse.
Make sure that when you are handling any chemical or cleaning agent, you use the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). For example, you may be required to wear gloves and a face mask.
Watch
The next video provides a walk-through of an SDS Material Safety Data Sheet.
Case Study
Happy Paws SDS Sheet
The SDS sheet is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the key safety considerations for a disinfectant commonly used in an animal care facility.
In a real-world setting, the SDS would be provided by the manufacturer of the product, and it would include detailed information specific to that product's formulation.
Section 1: Identification |
|
Section 2: Hazard(s) Identification |
Classification of the Substance/Mixture:
Label Elements:
Hazard Statements:
Precautionary Statements:
|
Section 3: Composition/Information on Ingredients |
|
Section 4: First-Aid Measures |
|
Section 5: Fire-Fighting Measures |
|
Section 6: Accidental Release Measures |
|
Section 7: Handling and Storage |
|
Section 8: Exposure Controls/Personal Protection |
Occupational Exposure Limits:
|
Section 9: Physical and Chemical Properties |
|
Section 10: Stability and Reactivity |
|
Section 11: Toxicological Information |
|
Section 12: Ecological Information |
|
Section 13: Disposal Considerations |
|
Section 14: Transport Information |
|
Section 15: Regulatory Information |
|
Section 16: Other Information |
|
Reading
Below are some additional resources for you to help you understand the SDS Material Safety Data sheets.
Animal waste can potentially cause harm by acting as pathological (disease-causing) waste while decomposing. Hazardous waste products in an animal care facility include:
- Animal bodies that are not infectious or contaminated
- Used animal litter and food products that are infectious or contaminated
- Faeces that are not infectious or contaminated
- Discharges of blood or blood products.
So, when dealing with waste products and soiled bedding, you must wear the correct PPE and determine if the animal is classed as contagious or non-contagious before you begin.
In Victoria, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) regulates the storage, transport, treatment and disposal of clinical and related wastes under the Environment Protection (Industrial Waste Resource) Regulations 2009. Guidance for generators of clinical and related wastes can be found in Part C of the document, ‘Clinical and related waste’. Each state and territory will have their own regulations.
Regulations relating to hazardous waste disposal, including animal waste, are also covered by the National Guidelines for Waste Management in the Healthcare Industry.
Waste disposal in animal care
When it comes to dispose of waste in your workplace, it is important to understand what you must do for each type of waste product. Let’s take a look at the following three examples of waste products:
- Litter and faeces
- Used bedding
- Contagious animals
Litter and faeces
Waste products such as litter and faeces must be placed:
- into a hazardous waste plastic bag
- in a cool storage area until collected by an approved licensed removal company.
Cat faeces are particularly hazardous for pregnant women. So, pregnant women should avoid handling or disposing of this type of waste product wherever possible.
Used bedding
All bedding that is not too badly soiled will need to be placed into the washing machine and cleaned with washing powder.
To avoid cross-contamination, all used bedding must be washed separately from other laundry items, such as uniforms.
Contagious animals
Animals diagnosed with contagious diseases must be kept in an isolation ward (ISO-W). Animals in isolation MUST have ALL bedding, waste products and used PPE disposed of into hazardous plastic bags labelled “Contagious waste”.
Contagious waste must be destroyed accordingly – cremated or collected by the hazardous waste removal specialist. This is particularly important because some contagions can survive on surfaces and continue to spread.
Waste management procedures
A good example of a private company that deals with biohazardous waste from the animal care industry is the Australian business Waster Pty Ltd. The following video (2:50 min) outlines Waster’s clinical waste collection service, which could apply to a veterinary clinic.
Watch
Waster also provides general advice, such as the benefits of conducting a waste audit as shown in the following video (2:55 min), as well as advice about best-practice waste management for some specific animal care workplaces, such as ‘Disposal of Waste In A Dog Grooming Salon’. The NSW Animal Welfare Code of Practice 8 outlines specific cleaning and waste disposal practices in Section 5, Hygiene, which must be followed in this type of workplace.
Watch
Knowledge Check
Complete the following questions.